You can pack your gardens with plants that are edible to more than just bees and butterflies. With a little work, you can make your yard beautiful both outdoors and on your dinner plate.

What Does Your Garden Grow?

First, determine what kind of things you want to grow and how much work you want to put in. Are you comfortable on ladders, and do you have the room for fruit trees? Do you use a lot of herbs? What about edible flowers, such as viola?

Color On More Than Your Plate

We know it’s healthful to eat the rainbow and a plate full of colorful veg looks tasty. But you also can take advantage of those bright, beautiful colors in your garden. Consider pairing bursts of colorful greens, such as species of cabbage or kale, with snowy white cauliflower. Take advantage of the tall, leggy shapes of beans and tomatoes. Alternate the shapes not only for optic interest, but also to prevent diseases from spreading.

Herbs in More Than Pesto

Mix and match herbs with ornamentals in your garden. Some species even masquerade as ornamentals, especially if you leave some to bloom and go to seed. They also make a tasty meal for pollinators or even boost the smell in a bouquet of your homegrown blooms. Again, make sure to plan for your location and color. There are species of basil, for example, that are deep, vibrant purple and oregano that turns a lovely soft silver.

Perfect Pots

If you’ve got a small space, never fear. Your local garden center can point you to herbs, greens, tomatoes and even fruit trees that thrive in pots. Remember to consider how you’ll move the pots in case of a cold snap and how to feed and maintain these miniature produce aisles in your yard.