Swallows - Yes, their mud nests under our eaves can be messy, but the benefits of having swallows far outweigh this minor inconvenience. They consume enormous volumes of weevils, beetles, ants, wasps, bees, flies, moths, spiders and grasshoppers. For the first time, we have alligator lizards on our property. All lizards like a thick ground cover for protection, and rocks for sun-bathing. It seems most of our lizards love our red apple and verbena ground covers.
Lizards are the true good guys in any lawn or garden.
Besides being lovely to the eye, many plants are very helpful to have in our lawns and gardens when thinking in terms of natural pest control. Horseradish and potatoes grown together repel Colorado potato beetles. Tomatoes or parsley planted with asparagus controls asparagus beetles. Catnip near eggplant deters flea beetles. Marigolds planted in vegetable gardens repel many insects.