Garden Designers Roundtable: Vegetable Garden Design
French potager, Allen Centennial Gardens, Madison, Wisconsin
Today Garden Designers Roundtable celebrates the release of The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden by Roundtable blogger Ivette Soler of The Germinatrix. How are we celebrating? By writing about edibles from a design standpoint.
But first—yea, Ivette! I haven’t even seen her book yet, but I’m totally biased in its favor because she’s a friend and a talented writer and designer at that. I’ve been following her posts and tweets about her Los Angeles streetside edible garden, and she knows all about the challenges and rewards of putting the veggies right out front where everyone can see them—and nab them.
Lake Austin Spa‘s formally designed vegetable garden
Now, regular readers know that I’m an ornamental gardener at heart, and the only edibles in my garden are a few essential herbs. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a tidy kitchen garden, beautifully designed potager, espaliered fruit trees, or even edibles mixed to decorative effect with ornamentals. In fact, I think edibles deserve the same attention to design as the purely ornamental areas of your garden.
Take this elegant sunburst of raised beds, for instance. Sun-loving tomatoes and roses share pride of place in the Corum Cove garden in Austin (from Gardens on Tour 2007). So you don’t have this much space? Just shrink the scale to fit the space in your yard. You can stack your own chopped-limestone beds and spread decomposed granite to make generous paths. Anchor the center with a pretty pot or a simple birdhouse on a post. Even when the garden is not producing it will be beautiful.
A more utilitarian vegetable garden (Buckeye Trail garden, from Gardens on Tour 2009) uses cedar planks to build up raised beds, enclosing the entire space in a rustic wire-and-cedar-post fence. It’s a straightforward, practical design, but look at the care taken in the layout of the beds. The beauty of symmetry and exact measurement shines through.
Rock Rose blogger Jenny Stocker has endowed her garden with potager charm with painted-wood raised beds, pavers, and self-seeded annuals blossoming among the vegetables. Jenny and her husband, David, are masters at creating hardscaping that gives her billowing garden the structure that holds it all together.
Do you prefer a more contemporary look? Try raised beds made of Cor-Ten steel. This one keeps vegetables at a convenient height and location, right by the back door, not hidden away at the back of the garden (landscape architect Christy Ten Eyck’s Austin garden).
If raised beds aren’t your style or you prefer a looser arrangement in your vegetable garden, make a strolling garden with winding paths lined with found stone. A bench off to the side from which to enjoy the view would add the finishing touch (Antique Rose Emporium, San Antonio).
Even more informally designed is the vegetable garden at Chanticleer Garden in Pennsylvania. Broad winding paths and unedged beds give a feeling of openness. But a series of planted terracotta pots add rhythm and help to draw you into the garden. Note the placement of the focal-point bench, on the diagonal across the longest axis in the garden.
Truly a “designed” edible garden: Chicago Botanic Garden‘s viola-and-parsley towers underplanted with cabbages. OK, it may not be practical for the home gardener, but it makes a beautiful design statement in a garden tended by an army of trained staff.
Edible garden…ornamental garden. Why not have both by bringing strong design to your vegetable plot? Large or small, elegant or humble, the edible garden should shine with the beauty of thoughtful design.
Be sure to read the other participants in today’s Garden Designers Roundtable to be inspired by these designers on the topic of Edibles:
Ivette Soler – The Germinatrix – Los Angeles, CA
Rebecca Sweet – Gossip in the Garden – Los Altos, CA
Genevieve Schmidt – North Coast Gardening – Arcata, CA
Scott Hokunson – Blue Heron Landscape Design – Granby, CT
Douglas Owens-Pike – EnergyScapes – Minneapolis, MN
Shirley Bovshow – Eden Makers – Los Angeles, CA
All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Beautiful photos and great ideas for vegetable gardening. We are working on transforming our yard into an edible landscape and you’ve given me some great ideas.
Fantastic, Julie! Good luck with your new garden. —Pam
What an inspiring variety of beautiful gardens! Can’t wait to check out the other participants’ articles. Thanks!
My pleasure, Iris. I loved having this topic so that I could pull together images from the many wonderful edible gardens I’ve photographed over the years. —Pam
Oh Pam – WHAT a beautiful post full of the most inspiring photos! LOVE!!! You have shown how important design and hardscape is to the success of an edible garden. There is truly a style for everyone, and all it takes is some thought and planning on the front end to give you AWESOMENESS for years! Fantastic post, dear friend! LOVE!!!
Thanks so much, Ivette! I can’t wait to read your post too—our edible expert thanks to your new book! In fact, I’m off to read it right now. —Pam
Pam, you’ve shown a wonderful array of designs and materials here – truly something for everyone. I think my favorite was the viola/cabbage combo; the contrasting forms, textures and colors really sing. Thanks!
Thanks, Jocelyn. That display at Chicago Botanic Garden really rocked from a design standpoint. And of course it was completely edible too—bonus! —Pam
Your tour of these vegetable gardens is a feast for the eyes, and your narration a lesson in design. I have a feeling that the “few essential herbs” in your garden are not bystanders, but arranged in wonderful fashion!
Great Post!
Well, if you call one basil plant tucked in my aloe garden, plus a rosemary bush sharing space with a trio of striped yuccas, then yes. 😉 My list of essential herbs is pretty small, reflecting, I’m afraid, a lack of interest in the kitchen. HOWEVER, I do admire a well-designed edible garden, and that’s why I’ve taken so many pictures of them on my travels and on garden tours. —Pam
Really like the way you took us round the design opportunities to be accessed here. WANT the cor-ten steel, the windey potager and the Chicago viola towers and cabbages and parsley! I don’t do veg personally, but you have made me feel I ought to!
Best
R
I’m not a vegetable gardener either, Robert, but I love beautifully designed edible gardens. Good design makes it appealing, doesn’t it? —Pam
Great post and perfect timing as I’ve just fixed up my vegetable beds.
Thanks, Bonnie. This topic did come up at the perfect time of year. —Pam
As always, Pam–great photography and tips! I love your examples of good hardscaping (Lake Austin Spa, Corum Cove, Jenny Stocker’s garden)–edible gardening doesn’t need to look messy and strange. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks, Jenny. I’ve been so inspired by our local gardeners and designers who have made those gardens. —Pam
Pam, What an amazing amount of inspiration you’ve provided for working with edibles. Like you, I’m an ornamental gardener at heart but I can see how I could work some of the ideas in your photos into my garden. BTW, I’m with Robert – I want some of that cor-ten steel. I’m designing a garden now that it would be perfect in so I’ll have to do some research on it later today (after I’ve read all the other GDRT posts this month!).
I love Cor-Ten steel too, Debbie. It makes such a clean-lined, contemporary edge. Check out the rest of my post about Ten Eyck’s garden for more images of her use of Cor-Ten throughout her garden. —Pam
Pam-I think I need to see the vegetable garden at Lake Austin Spa. How about a blogger visit. I haven’t been there in 12 years and they have clearly done a good deal in that time. Can you whisper a word in Trisha’s ear? Thanks for including my vegetable garden. I’m now off out, to get stain, to smarten up the wood on my veggy beds. Winter took its toll.
Thanks for the inspiration, Jenny. Your garden is always an example of how good a garden can be. As for Lake Austin Spa, I think I’ll have to wait a bit before bugging Trisha for another visit. Don’t want to wear out my welcome. But maybe next fall? 😉 —Pam
I don’t do a veggie garden but when I see these amazing gardens I always wish for more sunny areas to try one.
I feel your (shade) pain, Lisa. Luckily I have enough sun for the herbs I like to grow, with plenty of space left over for agaves. —Pam
Great post, Pam, with a wonderful diversity of choices. And the Ten Eyck garden still knocks me out!
Thanks, Denise. I’m glad you enjoyed it. —Pam
Dear Pam,
Beautiful examples of diverse edible gardens. I’m convinced that there is a style to please just about anyone. Thanks for the tour!
Shirley Bovshow
I agree, Shirley. I am off to read your post too. Looking forward to your take on this topic! —Pam
Beautiful pictures…the viola and parsley towers are amazing…How do they do that?
Aren’t those cool? To read how they’re constructed, go to my link for Chicago Botanic Garden and scroll down until you see a picture of a sign they provided. —Pam
Maybe there is hope for my front yard yet. These gardens are really inspiring, and I’m not inspired by just anything. Thanks so much, Pam!
My pleasure, Laura! —Pam
You and I have the same taste in edible gardens. I love the potager look! As long as they’re surrounded by tidy gravel, DG or stone, instead of looking unruly, veggie beds look charmingly disheveled.
Yes, “charmingly disheveled” is a great way to describe that classic, potager look. —Pam
I’m loving the Cor-ten steel. Wish I could have installed this in our recent edible garden build. Pam, perhaps you might want to rethink the edible nature of a part of your developing garden?
You never know, I suppose, CIMS. A commenter further down jokes that her garden has always been edible…for deer. That’s as far as I’ve gotten too. —Pam
Some great examples of how edible gardens can be beautiful too. Inspirational.
Glad you enjoyed the post, Janet. —Pam
I like the look of that Buckeye Trail garden. Tidy.
Interestingly, while the Buckeye Trail garden’s vegetable plot is quite tidy, much of the garden feels much more naturalistic, and then by the house they have more-structured plantings. They have a great mix of spaces, actually. —Pam
So beautifully said Pam. Edibles can be ornamentals if cared for and put in the best place for them to shine. The book is wonderful, and Ivette’s strong, clear voice shines through. I love this design round table you’re doing for her.~~Dee
I’m so glad to hear that Ivette’s book is a winner (like I had any doubts!). Is your review up? I’ll pop over to see. —Pam
Pam, I loved this post and I must share that I went down the rabbit hole following the links that led to more links and and then more links all leading to beautiful gardens. Thank you for an enjoyable and inspiring journey. gail
Thanks for going down the rabbit hole, Gail! I’m glad you found your way out again to comment. 🙂 —Pam
PS I do love that Cor-Ten steel!
Me too! —Pam
Wow, gorgeous gardens! Thanks for the inspiration – great post!
My pleasure, Heather. Thanks for commenting. —Pam
You have inspired me to spruce up my raised beds with these beautiful sites. Lovely.
Have fun “sprucing,” Patsy! —Pam
The PHOTOS! I can hardly stand how gorgeous they are (especially that Cor-Ten steel bed). Your posts are always so amazing to me – thank you for another jolt of inspiration!
I’m glad you enjoyed the eye candy, Rebecca. I had a great time pulling together my favorite edible-garden images for this post. —Pam
Very inspiring Pam, thanks for a great post!
Thanks, Philip. I’m glad you enjoyed it! —Pam
I live in Northwest Austin so my front landscape has always been an edible landscape – at least to the deer… But I’m inspired for the back yard veggies now!
Ha! My front garden is on the deer’s would-be buffet too, Kate, though I’ve tried to foil them with non-tasty plants. Love your humor. Good luck with the back (safe) veggie garden. —Pam
How well I remember those pansy/parsley towers at CBG. Vegetable gardens can and should be attractive. Love all the pictures. The steel edging speaks to me.
It was such fun touring CBG with you, Layanee. A fond memory from the Chicago Fling. Let’s do it again in Seattle! —Pam
Pam, I’m so inspired! I SO want a parsley and viola tower now!! You’ve made an excellent point about the importance of design and hardscape in making edibles work, design-wise. Beautiful!
Thanks, Genevieve! Those edible towers are beautiful, aren’t they? If you click on my link to Chicago Botanic Garden and scroll through, you’ll see a picture of a sign they provided, explaining how they made the towers. —Pam
Pam dear,
THANK you for this wonderful and dazzling post. Perfect timing for this gardener. Love all the photos and words and will come back to this posting again. LOVELY.
All joys,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Thank you, Sharon! Your entire garden would make a perfect edible-garden post. I so enjoyed reading about it in Country Gardens Magazine recently. —Pam
what a fun tour! interesting to see all the different styles and designs.