Ladybugs are among the most welcome visitors to any garden, devouring aphids and other destructive pests before they have a chance to damage your plants. If, like me, you want to steer clear of chemical sprays and let nature do the hard work for you, I know of one beautiful, simple-to-grow flower that can help.
Zinnias aren't just prized for their colorful, long-lasting blooms. Their pollen-rich flowers, combined with their ability to attract aphids and other insects, make them a magnet for ladybugs in summer. They are also super-resilient, and where many other annuals in my cutting patch have failed in this heatwave, the zinnias are still going strong.
