Flowers will grow bigger and stronger if you plant marigolds next to them

Gardeners are being urged to plant marigolds in their garden - in order to give all their other flowers a boost.

Whether you're growing roses, hydrangeas, peonies or any other common British flower, there's a little known trick using marigolds which can help boost your other plants. That's because at this time of year especially in late spring and heading into summer, flowers of all varieties are attacked by like aphids, greenfly and whitefly.

While harmless to humans, these tiny insects can slowly drain the life out of your plants, sapping at their energy as they suck nutrition from their stems with a series of minute holes. This can affect roses, strawberries, , and all sorts of other flowering plants and fruits.

But according to experts, marigolds can be used to pull pests away from your other flowers and attract their natural predators - hoverflies.

As explained by : "After an unseasonably hot start to May, keen gardeners across the UK are enjoying their outdoor spaces, however as our plants spring to life, so too does a familiar .

"The blossoming flowers and fruitful vegetable patches can see the return of some unwelcome visitors, which thrive in the heat - aphids.

"These sap-sucking insects, also known as greenflies and blackflies, are already swarming UK gardens, with the recent hot weather creating perfect conditions for their population to skyrocket."

Samantha Richards, garden expert for the firm, said: "Ladybugs, lacewings and birds are natural predators of aphids. If you can attract them to your garden, they will feast on the aphid colonies and solve the problem for you.

To attract hoverflies, which eat aphids, you should plant french marigolds near to the plants you're worried about. The hoverflies will also lay eggs and the hatching larvae will also feast on the pesky aphids.

Pot marigolds are also great for attracting lacewings, another useful predator, while ladybug habitats are easy to make."

She added: "Regularly inspecting your plants is crucial for early aphid detection and prevention.

"Focus on checking the undersides of leaves, new growth, and tender stems where aphids tend to cluster. Use a magnifying glass if necessary to spot small colonies before they multiply.

"Look for signs such as curling leaves, sticky honeydew residue, or the presence of ants, which may indicate an aphid problem.

"If you spot any aphids, take immediate action by removing them manually, spraying them off with water, or applying natural treatments. Frequent monitoring allows you to control infestations before they spread, keeping your plants healthy and pest-free."