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Edibles in the flower border
Grumpymum
Posts: 77
I don't have room for a separate veg patch in my garden, so would like to mix edibles in with the shrubs and flowers. I've added quite a bit of fruit over the last couple of years, but no veg yet, except some salad and tomatoes in a few pots. Has anyone got any recommendations for veg, other than runner beans and rainbow chard which I don't really like, that will look pretty in the border, and won't be worried too much by competition from the shrubs and perennials? I have a South-ish facing border that gets sun most of the day. My soil is a heavy clay with lots of stones though so carrots are out. Another problem is that they will need to be grown in the back or the middle of the border as the dog is likely to pee on anything grown at the front!
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Both are available online. The DVD often comes packaged with his Cottage Garden and Paradise Gardens DVDs and all 3 are a great source of info and inspiration.
What about some edible flowers to decorate your salads and meals? You can eat Nasturtium leaves and flowers.
I think the flowers on broad beans are quite pretty and they smell nice too. They are ready early so can be replaced when they look tatty. Might need a bit of support though. You could try sweet corn at the back but grow it in a clump for fertilisation and make sure it gets enough sun. It doesn't mind butternut squash growing underneath it.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I never thought of broad beans as decorative before so will give those a try.
I like the sound of mange tout in with the sweet peas as well and yellow pods should make them easy to find.
Cavolo nero is a relatively small type of kale so mixes in well and looks fabulous. Purple sprouting 'claret' is very attractive - quite big though.
Grow carrots in a tall pot. Salsify and scorzonera are roots that are much less fussy about soil. Scorzonera has attractive (edible) leaves.
There are plenty of perennial veg too, that are very suited to being in a mixed border:
Walking onions, perennial leeks, daubenton's kale, nine star broccoli.
For herbs, dill or fennel will grow very tall and stately at the back of a border, but only grow one as they affect the taste of each other. They both self seed. Bronze fennel is particularly pretty. The flowers are delicious too. Culinary sage is one of the easier evergreen herbs, well behaved and not too big. Marjoram makes a nice front of border plant, even if you don't eat it - bees love it. I grow it and just make sure to wash it well. 'Greek' oregano is also good - hardy, pretty much evergreen and a bee magnet.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
As Obelixx suggests above - try and get Geoff Hamilton's DVD set.
Very informative and very relaxing
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Chard is another very good plant for growing in a border. Lovely colours too
Just check that what you want to grow will fit with the conditions in the border.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...