Get up close and personal with the tiny creatures that live in your garden. Sit quietly among the flowers and see how many insects you can spot. Some are so tiny you might need a magnifying glass to see them. Each clever critter has its own special job in nature. Many of them are gardeners’ friends and we call them ‘beneficial insects'. 

The pollinators

When insects move from flower to flower gathering food they carry pollen from one flower to another. This is called pollination and without pollination plants can’t grow the seeds and fruit that we need for food. Bees are important pollinators but there are many other pollinator insects. 

The predators

Many different insects, spiders and millipedes feast on the bugs that eat our garden plants and ruin our crops. These precious garden friends help keep the balance of nature, so the pest bugs don’t take over. 

The recyclers

Ants, beetles and worms are some of nature's most powerful recyclers. They convert dead things, kitchen scraps and garden rubbish into beautiful soil for plants to grow in. Imagine a world without them! 

Grow flowers from seed 

The best way to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects to your garden is to plant flowers. Grow lots of different flowers to build biodiversity in your back yard.  Biodiversity means the variety of different living things. The bigger the world’s biodiversity, the better it is. Growing flowers is a win, win situation! Start with a packet of wild flower seeds.

1. Find a sunny patch of well-drained garden soil.
2. Remove all the weeds, roots and all. If you have time, water the bare soil a week or two before you sow seeds, so you can remove any new weeds that sprout.
3. Prepare your seed bed: loosen the soil with a trowel or fork until it is crumbly like breadcrumbs. Use a rake to firm and level the surface.
4. Scatter the seeds evenly over your soil.
   TIP: Mix your seeds with a handful of sand or Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. This makes it easier to scatter small seeds evenly.
5. Keep the soil moist. Water gently using a watering can or a hose with a soft shower attachment so you don’t disturb your carefully sown seeds.
6. Water every morning until your seedlings are about 5-10cm tall. Once the seedlings have strong roots, they will only need watering when the top of the soil feels dry.
7. Feed your flowers every few weeks with liquid fertiliser or worm tea from your worm farm. 

No soil? No worries! Grow wildflowers in pots or a large container. Just make sure there are holes in the bottom for water to drain through. Fill it with potting mix and sow your seed. 

Fairy sprinkles

Yates Magical Creatures is a special mix of colourful flowers that attract happy bees and butterflies to sip the nectar. The flowers are a vivid mix of bright fairy pink,violet and lilac. They are lovely for picking too. Sprinkle these seeds like magical fairy dust, and grow a colourful home where fascinating creatures will live!

Did you know?

Bees love bright colours. Their favourite colours are yellow, blue and purple.

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