by Greg Spinks

Created on: April 29, 2010   Last Updated: April 30, 2010

Annual flowers certainly have many benefits in the home vegetable garden. The colorful annuals add a magical enhancement and tranquility to the backyard plot; a piece of land dreamed and planned during the long months of winter. Brilliant annuals can provide and enhance a sense of pride and accomplishment on a hot summer day while weeding and watering. At times, the colorful blooming annuals can inspire a moments of reflection of the ancient task of growing food.

While enhancing the beauty of the growing vegetables, annual flowers are also working behind the scenes in many ways to improve the harvest. They attract many beneficial insects and at times, repel more harmful ones. More beneficial insects and pollinators increase fruit set and vegetable harvest. The annuals are an important aspect of bio-diversity in the backyard vegetable plot, a big plus for the vegetables.

Some annual flowers are viewed herbs,  are great companion plants for vegetables, and are edible. Brilliant nasturtiums, blazing calendula, pungent  basil and sky blue borage flowers are certainly among the best.

Nasturtiums are well known for their peppery flavor and attract a wide range of insects and hummingbirds. For some, the colorful nasturtiums are a noted companion plant and are respected for their ability to repel certain harmful insects such as aphids. Nasturtiums are carefree and simply easy to grow.

Calendula are a long time garden favorite used for both its attractiveness and taste. It is a magnet for beneficial bees and butterflies and can easily reseed itself. Calendula bloom profusely; the more the flowers are picked or snipped, the plant responds with even greater vigor. and  bloom with even greater vigor. They almost take care of themselves after the seedlings emerge.

Basil is an important kitchen herb with delicate flowers which attract many pollinators and serves as a good companion plant. Basil has a wide range of taste and fragrances. It is one of the easiest annual herbs to grow and is well respected by many cooks. The aroma of basil in the garden is one which will always be remembered; it is an aroma which many believe repels mosquitoes and flies. Another good flower herb for the vegetable garden is dill. It is attractive and can be a good companion plant for lettuce and cabbage.

Borage, which can be effectively planted with the calendula, is an old fashion herb, sometimes called the bee flower. It's sky blue flowers flowers can be used in the kitchen for

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