You can make such a beautiful garden using veg, herb and fruit plants and a mixture of companions, wildflowers and edible flowers too – it really is very easy to create a pretty, tasty garden using our plug plants. Follow these simple steps to make your veg garden really look good enough to eat.
- Try to arrange beds around a central focus – this could be something extravagant like a water fountain, or it could simply be a cluster of beautiful plants in beautiful pots.
- Pick plants of contrasting textures, shapes and sizes…you’ve got all sorts to choose from. You could combine majestic, pointy artichoke leaves and dainty chives, or create carpets of chamomile broken up by feathery fennel.
- Plant things in contrasting colours. Red cabbage, for example, is a lovely rich colour, so plant it next to something contrasting like a dark cavolo nero for maximum impact.
- Mix it all up…herbs, fruit, veg and ornamentals can all go in the garden together and they’ll look really lovely. You don’t have to have everything in groups in raised beds if you don’t want to.
- Go for an informal planting pattern rather than rows. Plant small clumps of Rainbow Chard next to little patches of marigolds or some pretty ornamental plants that have tickled your fancy.
- Repeat patterns throughout the garden. Don’t just plant a single clump of Rainbow Chard…plant a few little clusters in different places. It’ll look fab!
- Edge your borders with unexpected beauties…Greek Basil would look amazing as an edging, so would Dwarf Runner Beans.
- Mix in lots of verticals…French Beans climbing up a wigwam, Peas (or mangetout) rambling up a fence, a small cluster of Sweetcorn – these would all look brilliant at the back of a bed, or even in the middle of one.
- Use lots of pots too. Even if you’re growing largely in borders and beds, it’s nice to have pots and they add a bit of interest to a garden.
- Pay attention to the smaller details. Rustic, wooden plant supports will look much more charming than neat, shop-bought trellises, old galvanised zinc watering cans and planters have a greater appeal than plastic versions and so on.