Unexpected Edible Gardens

Fresh herbs spill from planters lining a walkway. The variety of plants used in each one adds interest, though using a single plant would work just as well.

I spied this garden the other day when I was looking for bocce ball courts. I love the way the edible plants inhabit the space between the court and the walkway.

This garden mixes produce with ornamental plants.

This designer has created curved islands of edible plants, rather than the typical rows. It makes it more fun to walk around when gathering fresh veggies or when showing off one's hard work to visitors.

Here the edible container gardens navigate the space between the patio and the ornamental gardens. It's a transition between a very obviously built landscape and the part that was designed to look more natural and free.

You know what goes with Cor-Ten steel ? Chives!

Edible gardens can also go vertical. A fence like this can act as a lattice for vines.

Simple box containers add a nice and simple geometry to a yard.

I love the way the fence line mimics the rhythm of the garden beds here.

In this tiered garden, leafy greens look just as beautiful as a more typical ornamental plant.

This kitchen garden looks a lot like one you would find in Colonial Williamsburg. It's so great that these people have dedicated such a large part of their patio space to it.

This front yard in Provincetown, Massachusetts mixes perennials, annuals, cutting flowers, and herbs. I'll take this over a lawn any day!

This is one of my favorite gardens. It's in funky Branford, Connecticut. Hollyhocks stand tall while vines of gourds twine beneath them on the ground. It's such an exuberant mix, where every rule has been thrown out the window.

This urban windowbox reminds me of when I lived in Venice. We had no balcony, but my roommates and I kept a basil plant in our second story windowbox and would pluck fresh leaves from it whenever we were cooking.

Personally, I love to have a mint plant around and grabbing leaves for iced tea. Actually, mint plants are best in a container, as they can spread like wildfire and take over your garden.

Do you grow produce? Have you come up with any clever solutions for maximizing planting space? What do you like to grow and pick fresh? Please share your tips and photos below!

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