Planning your garden

The content and layout of a garden is

determined by many factors. Although
practical considerations are paramount
in growing fruit and vegetables, try
to make the most of these plants as an
extension of the ornamental qualities of
a garden. They may not offer the same
breadth of interest as ornamental plants,
but they certainly have their attractions.
CROPS IN THE GARDEN
Garden sites come in all aspects, shapes,
and sizes. On the reasonable assumption
that the majority of garden sites can be
made suitable for fruit and vegetables,
consideration of how they are to be laid
out has to do with personal preference
and the practical limitations of the site.
Take some time to learn and think
about the style of garden you want.
One of the most basic considerations
in planning a garden is the structural
form. Here, single specimens of fruit
trees and bushes can be used to good
effect; the structure of carefully trained
trees will provide strong interest
throughout the year. Bold architectural
form is also found in perennial crops,
such as tall artichokes and corn, and
the dramatic leaves of rhubarb.
Climbing plants, such as peas, beans,
squashes, and melons contribute height
and structure from the supports needed
to grow them. These may be woody
poles, brushwood, or more ornate
wooden or metal structures, and can
make pleasing features themselves. The
way in which plants are grown also has
an effect: where fruit and vegetable
plants are arranged in beds and straight
rows, the geometric layouts can make
a strong visual impact.
Once the form of a garden has been
established, texture and color can be
considered. Many vegetable plants
have striking leaves and stems. In the
beet group, for example, are plants
with corrugated, deeply colored leaves,
and chards with glowing colored stems.
Carrots have graceful, finely cut
foliage, the leaves of brassicas are both
bold in shape and glaucous, and lettuces
mostly have a soft, crinkled texture.
The great range of culinary herb plants
includes many that could be grown
as much for ornament as for usefulness.
These include sage, with its felty leaves,
ruff led parsley, and thymes, which
contribute both aroma and f lowers
in addition to their carpeting foliage.
For most people, f lowers and fruit
are essential in any garden. Fruit trees,
canes, and bushes produce beautiful
blossom and brightly colored fruits.
Taking all these considerations into
account, there are three basic points to
decide on at the outset. Do you wish
to grow crops mixed with ornamental
plants, or separately? If separately,
should they be integrated within the
overall garden design or in a separate
plot? How large an area should be
devoted to crops?
ORNAMENTAL VEGETABLE GARDENS
There are two main possibilities for
integrating fruit and vegetables into the
ornamental garden. They can be grown
within the mixture of plants in a
herbaceous or mixed border, or they can
be grown alongside ornamental features
in formal beds, a system often described
as ornamental vegetable gardening.
Growing crops within the
ornamental borders of a garden
is particularly suitable where space is
limited, or where only small supplies
are wanted. There are disadvantages:
the gaps left as annual vegetables are
progressively harvested are not
Color contrast
Even a small space
can be planted
with vegetables
and herbs to create
an attractive and
functional ornamental
vegetable garden.
Here, squares
separated by box
hedging allow for
planned crop rotation,
while crops of
contrasting forms
and color are planted
in simple patterns.
As crops mature, the
gaps will be filled with
succeeding crops.