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Flowers and Vegetables Mix Beautifully

rvisser

Jun 29, 2012

Topics:

Companion planting

Blog type:

general

It may not be obvious from this photo, but among the many flowers in our front yard, we have strawberries, rhubarb, tomatoes, dill, parsley, and scarlet runner beans -- and it's a very small yard!

So, if you have little space, consider planting veggies in with your flowers. The foliage can be quite stunning mixed in with flowers. Even winter squash works well, if you plan the space carefully. This approach has the added advantage of confusing bugs.

I mix up the vegetable gardens in the same way, adding flowers in amongst the vegetables, mostly nasturtium and marigolds, but others as well. I grow the flowers from seed, saving the seed from year to year as needed, making it relatively inexpensive.

Besides, I love the feel of such gardens, with veggies, herbs, and flowers all mixed together. Something quite magical begins to happen. Something that touches the soul.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, rvisser

When I’m not in the garden, I’m in my studio. I am an artist and an avid gardener, working about 600 sq. ft. of organic, raised beds in an ‘Old Town’ urban setting. My wife and I live peacefully...

Comments

david e kelley

Fri, 06/29/2012 - 16:17

I also enjoy mixing vegetables and flowers, since I eat many of both, as long as both are grown the natural way (organic). Your posts are informative and enjoyable. Stay natural, David

Jessica Still

Sat, 06/30/2012 - 17:52

Yes! My grandmother always grew flowers in her organic production garden. As a full working partner on a big organic farm in northern Alberta, Canada - with *division of labor* of course - beautiful bouquets of fragrant Sweet Peas & airy, pint-to-magenta Cosmos in her formal parlor were part of the harvest.

Jessica Still

Sat, 06/30/2012 - 17:52

... As a full working partner on a big organic farm in northern Alberta, Canada - with *division of labor* of course - beautiful bouquets of fragrant Sweet Peas & airy, pint-to-magenta Cosmos in her formal parlor were part of the harvest.

Jessica Still

Sat, 06/30/2012 - 17:53

... pink-to-magenta ...

Suze Curtain

Sun, 07/01/2012 - 16:50

Fruits, vegetables and herbs combine perfectly with flowers--because they are really from the same family aren't they ultimately? Fruits/flowers are borne to spread seed from the mother plant--we get to eat or enjoy that effort visually. Its so magical and lovely and seems to happen almost without effort! (Almost). Once we get some sunshine here in the rainforest, I'll post some flower pictures...so far, just a couple of nasturtium blooms and I've nearly picked them to eat a few times!

Jessica Still

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 19:37

I continue to admire your very artful photo - it is so three-dimensional with the Dill-umbrels rising into the light in the dappled shade. Lovely!