What I Will Always Allow in My Garden: Volunteer Plants

How self-seeded plants teach us to trust the garden—and ourselves.

There’s a special kind of magic in walking out to the garden and spotting something growing where you didn’t plant it. A leaf shape you recognize. A seedling popping up in the cracks. A flower blooming under the tomatoes. You lean in closer and realize: it’s a volunteer.

Volunteer plants—those uninvited guests who grow from the seeds dropped last season—are a gift I’ll always say yes to in my garden.

The Joy of Letting Go (a Little)

Boy howdy, does it take the pressure off when we let plants go to seed and grow where they please. No spreadsheets, no seed trays, no perfect timing required. Just the garden doing what it does best: continuing.

Each year, I’m pleasantly surprised by who decides to show up. I didn’t start or buy them, but there they are, thriving on their own terms:

• Cosmos

• Dill

• Radishes

• Cherry tomatoes

• Sweet basil

• Catmint

• Zinnias

• Sunflowers

Some of my best blooms and tastiest harvests have come from volunteers—free of charge, fuss, or expectation.

Why Volunteers Deserve a Spot in Your Garden

Letting plants self-seed isn’t just a low-effort gift to yourself; it’s a boost to your whole garden ecosystem.

1. Soil Health:
Volunteers tend to show up where conditions suit them. Their roots stabilize soil, help with water retention, and can even draw up nutrients from deeper layers. Radishes and other tap-rooted volunteers are great for loosening compacted soil.

2. Pollinators & Beneficial Insects:
Cosmos, zinnias, and dill are absolute magnets for pollinators. By letting them come back year after year, you’re building a more resilient and lively garden. Beneficial insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps love the flowers of dill and basil—natural pest control at work.

3. Biodiversity & Resilience:
Each volunteer is genetically unique. They may be more adapted to your specific garden conditions than the seed packet version. Over time, this natural selection can lead to hardier plants that truly belong in your space.

4. Surprise & Delight:
Sometimes the best part is just not knowing what’s going to pop up next. A zinnia in the kale patch? Sure. A rogue tomato in the mulch pile? Why not.

You’re Still the Gardener

Letting things grow doesn’t mean letting go of control completely. You don’t have to commit to every plant that sprouts. You can move them, gift them, or even compost them.

Let that cherry tomato grow under the rose bush, or don’t. You're allowed to enjoy the wildness and still shape it to suit your space and your season.

Trust the Garden!

There’s wisdom in letting your garden speak. When we allow plants to finish their life cycle and go to seed, we’re participating in something older and wiser than any planting calendar.

So yes, I will always allow volunteers in my garden. They teach me to loosen up, trust the process, and delight in the unexpected.

Let your garden surprise you. You might find you like these plants more as volunteers than you ever did when they were carefully planned.

Beccalynne🧑🏼‍🌾🪱

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