Ornamental Gardens and vegetables

You do not have to be confined to growing vegetables exclusively in a patch out the back. Why not locate vegetables where they will be happiest, even if it’s among the bearded iris or roses. Once you are free of the mindset that dictates this you will soon realise the fabulous ornamental value of some vegetables and fruits. It also opens up new spaces, front back and side of houses. Those places may be the sunniest, or best drained. Plan vegetable plantings to surround a building or line a path, down along the driveway, against the fences or even out on the naturestrip.

Chard used as mass planting bedding plant

Lettuces ; they prefer a bit of shade in mid-summer and bolt quickly once summer arrives if left in the spring bed. I move them to my front garden under the shade of our big tree, the purple and frilly foliage contrasts beautifully with some of my bold perennials, this makes much more sense than buying punnets of bedding annuals.

Leeks at St Erth

Onions and leeks have strappy foliage and their flower spikes are a dramatic addition to any garden they also repel aphids. One of the better examples of this was at our recent visit to St Erth, the Leek flower spikes floated above other plants.  Imagine them amonst purple flax or cordylines, they could easily be blended in with other bold plantings in rows, back of borders or part of a perennial border.

 

onions or leek flowers all in a row


 








I’ve discovered that eggplant grows vigorously well with roses, requiring similar soil, water and fertilise they have beautiful leaves and fruit that mix well in a sea of flowers.

 By growing vegetables in unexpected spots it opens up the vegetable garden for plants that take up room. Zucchinis and melons sometimes grow into monsters but growing them with Nasturtiums, always a favorite edible flower, they will sprawl happily benefiting from the cooling growing mulch and the nasturtiums secrete a mustard oil, which many insects find attractive and will seek out rather than eating leaves of nearby veges and the flowers repel aphids and the cucumber beetle.



Other fruits and vegetables can double as ornamental, too. Blueberries might be great as a hedge you’ve been intending to plant against the garden wall. Strawberries make a fine ground cover . Cabbages, kale and  and Broccoli are bold foliage plants. Carrots, and parsnips are the same family as Queens Anne lace and send up a beautiful flower spike.



Chilies and capsicums have bright colourful fruit I have sometimes used them as annual container display in the middle of my Christmas table. Planted as a border with garlic chives as the pic to the left shows they not only look great but also make strong insect repellent barrier and ingredients for a spray.