How to Make the Vegetable Garden Beautiful

A vegetable garden need not be an eyesore. It can look almost as attractive as a flower garden with careful planning. Many vegetables have beautiful flowers. Think of runner beans with that scarlet splash of color when they flower, while many herbs have attractive flowers and leaves. For instance, chicory has marvelous blue flowers, while the purple flower of chives is as pretty a flower as can be grown. And how about growing nasturtiums in the kitchen garden? Both flowers and leaves can be added to salads. But it is the vegetables themselves that make a longer-lasting splash of color.

The Real Colour Comes with the Fruit

Yellow, blue/green or orange pumpkins and squash, tomatoes that can be red, yellow, pink or even striped, and the glossy purple aubergine will all make your kitchen garden look as attractive as the flower garden. Creamy white or dark green cucumbers, zucchini and broccoli all have a charm of their own. And what about the colorful yellow and red of the various peppers?

Then There are the Shapes of Vegetables and Leaves

But that is not all; there are the shapes of the leaves and the different shades of green that will add interest and variety. Contrast the wide round leaves of plants like pumpkins or squash with the delicate feathery growth of carrot tops. The shapes of the vegetables will also provide contrast. There are the long thin peppers – and round or bell-shaped ones. Plump tomatoes, round pumpkins and squash that are round and flat.

The Greenery of Herbs is Important

And remember that even though many herbs are leafy and lacking flowers, they will still provide greenery in the kitchen garden, even in the winter. Just exercise a little thought as to where to place them and think in terms of what the garden will look like in each of the seasons. Some herbs like mint will run riot in the garden so must be kept in pots. But these pots can actually be buried in the garden to create a cohesive look.

In addition, by growing vegetables and herbs the home gardener can not only save money, but also have the satisfaction of providing really fresh and healthy produce for the family. Herbs bought at the supermarket are often well past their best. Herbs grown in the garden can be picked and used within the hour – as can vegetables.

So all kinds of vegetables and herbs can be grown in the kitchen garden – and even some edible flowers. They have a beauty all of their own, so should not be hidden in the back yard. A well-established kitchen garden is something to be proud of.

Recommended reading

The Postage Stamp Kitchen Garden Book by Duane G Newcomb, Karen Newcomb, Amazon

The Complete Book of Herbs: A Practical Guide to Growing and Using Herbs, by Lesley Bremness, Amazon