Those in rented property often don’t have permission to dig up the lawn to create a vegetable patch, leaving them with no choice but to live with the flower borders and bushes of someone else’s landscaping dreams.
However there are ways you can grow your own in amongst the buddleias and the heathers, giving an ornamental look whilst being able to harvest your own fresh produce all year round. No matter how big your garden, from a postage stamp low maintenance patch to a two acre landscaped heavenly haven, you can pinch space that won’t disrupt the plants that are already there.
This also works well for those who have worked hard to bring all year round colour into the garden, yet now would like to expand into organic fruit and vegetables. As it allows home owners to experiment without the hard work of finding the space.
In the Shrub Border
We all adore a buddleia, a Mexican orange blossom and the bird of paradise in a shrub border. Each one produces lush green foliage with pretty flowers that brighten up any walkway. However there are vegetables and fruit you can grow that add an exotic twist to your garden, giving foliage that is impossible to mirror along with the benefit of home grown produce at the end.
Globe artichokes are incredibly easy to grow and as they do their ginormous spearmint leaves add intrigue to any design. As a perennial they will easily come back to life every spring and the height allows them to act as a diving hedge between houses or paths. When the artichokes ripen they produce amazing thistle type bulbs with a striking purple feathered top, making this one to look out for and a vegetable to experiment with in the kitchen. Try also mature plants of rosemary as not only will these grow to an incredible height they will also bloom with powder blue flowers drawing the eye and complementing any shrub.
Against the Wall
We all adore sweet peas for their array of colour and fast growing habits that allow them to climb quickly up pagodas, trellises and walls. However you can experience all of this by swapping for pea varieties which will follow the same path whilst producing sweet succulent peas after the flowering period. After May tomatoes also climb walls efficiently with the help of a trellis and some training wire.
With the bedding plants
Strawberries are ideal to grow with bedding plants, as when they flower they add colour with white and yellow blooms before becoming heavy with juicy red strawberries. You can even grow strawberries in hanging baskets choosing the trailing variety.
In the Flower Garden
The perennial garden usually houses our favourite flowers, from irises to begonias there are many perennial vegetable and herb plants you can sneak in with the rest. Chives give the appearance of small alliums with their purple pom pom heads, returning twice a year these are also completely edible making them the most versatile plant around. Continuing on the violet theme, lavender and sage produce flowers to be proud of if kept in a well-draining soil.
Against Garden Structures and Furniture
A gazebo is a great place to grow peas or other climbing vegetables. It provides an area of interest while giving you a great place to entertain from. Nothing beats the smell of fresh produce as you relax and read a book in your garden, and we know just the place to buy this incredible garden furniture at a great price.
Anywhere
Garlic, onions and broad beans will thrive absolutely anywhere as long as partial sun is available. Try planting in between your perennials for a foody twist to your landscape.