Years ago, I purchased the book “Good Bugs for Your Garden,” by Allison Mia Starcher. In her book, Starcher makes the statement, “It is simply not true that the only good bug is a dead bug… ” – and she thus inspired me to look at ways to stop using harsh chemicals and pesticides and to attract beneficial insects to my garden instead. This was over 15 years ago, and today, my garden has a thriving ecosystem wherein a daily war is waged between the good bugs and the annoying ones. While my garden may not be perfect without the use of pesticides, it is a place where nature thrives, and a few holes in my plants here and there doesn’t bother me at all. Planting a diverse selection of flowers and flowering herbs in your garden will attract many different types of beneficial insects. Last year, I planted a lot of sweet alyssum and noticed an abundance of hoverflies swarming around the tiny white flowers. Hoverflies look like tiny bees, but they do not sting, and their presence helped eradicate the ongoing infestation of rose slugs that leave all my rose leaves looking like skeletal remains. It appears that both hoverflies and parasitic wasps absolutely love alyssum, and these tiny assassins will kill off not only the rose slugs but also the caterpillar population. Most beneficial insects are very small and are drawn to flowers that are also small. Planting native plants, leaving a few weeds to grow undisturbed and allowing some herbs and vegetables to flower will add to the diversity of your garden and attract the insects you want to have there. Here is a list of some beneficial insects and the flowers that attract them. Beneficial Insects: Lacewings, ladybugs, parasitic wasps, hoverflies and tachinid flies. Flowers & Herbs: Yarrow, lavender, lemon balm, marigolds, nasturtiums, sweet alyssum, thyme, catmint, parsley, rose-scented geraniums, rudbeckia (gloriosa daisy), lobelia and chamomile.