Often when we conjure up images of a functional garden in our minds, we think of vegetable plots like the ones in the 70’s sitcom The Good Life. You know all function, but that won’t win any prizes for aesthetics. Of course, the problem, for many gardeners, with the sort of outside space is that it doesn’t look attractive, in fact, it is all business. That needn’t be the case though, in fact, you can have a garden that looks great and is functional as well. All you need to do is follow the guidance in my post below.
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Raised beds & spiral planting
The first smart way of making the space in which you grow fruit and vegetable as attractive as possible is to use either raise beds, or spiral planting, or a combination of them both.
Spiral planting is a smart way to maximize the amount of space that you have to grow ground plants, along with creating an attractive display. It mainly consists of creating a raised mound of earth, and then shaping this is a spiral which provides easy access to all of the plants.
You can even get an enhanced result by placing varieties that need more light at the higher centre of the spiral and those that thrive better in shady spots around the lower edges. Also, many gardeners choose to mark out the spiral with stones or rocks to create an even more pleasant look.
Raised beds, on the other hand, are a large scale way of addressing planting in your garden. The basic idea behind them is that you create a container for soil and fill it, so you plant in that rather than at ground level directly.
Of course, there are several advantages of planting this way in your garden, one of which is that raised beds can look neater and more attractive, especially if you stain or paint the wooden sections to match the rest of your garden decor.
Another critical advantage of raise did that they are much easier to tend because they do not require so much bending and digging at ground level. Something that makes them a popular and practical addition to many gardens.
Attractive edibles
Next, if you want your fruit and vegetable garden to look attractive, you need to choose the varieties that you will plant and grow carefully. Happily, there are a great many delicious plants and fruits that also look beautiful while growing in your garden.
In particular, cut and grow lettuces like Radicchio Trevi can provide some attractive coloured foliage, while also being a convenient way of having fresh salad most of the year round. Additionally, the delicate beauty of a fruit tree like the Cherry in blossom will bring almost as much joy in Spring, as the ripe and tasty fruits that you can harvest come late summer. Something that makes fruits trees a smart choice for a garden that is both functional and attractive.
Stylish greenhouses
Of course, not all vegetables and fruits can be grown directly in the garden without help. That is where greenhouses come in. In fact, if you are looking to nurture an abundant crop of fruit and vegetables investing in a greenhouse that provides the required level of heat, moisture, and sunlight is often s a smart move.
Sadly, many gardeners that are concerned with the look, as well as the output of their garden are dissuaded from doing so. Mainly because greenhouses have traditionally, not been designed to be aesthetically pleasing.
Happily, this is no longer the case, and that means those looking to give their fruit and vegetable the best start can now purchase an aluminium greenhouse that not only does the job in a practical sense but looks great as well. In fact, there are some pretty elegant modern designs now on the market that would grace most gardens and help enhance rather than detract from their beauty.
Vertical herb walls
Finally, when it comes to creating a practical, yet attractive garden space do not underestimate the joy that a simple vertical herb wall can create. In fact, there are many ways of making such a feature including using colourful hanging plant pots, pallets, and even upcycling plastic bottle or pipes to create an aesthetically pleasing, yet functional option for your kitchen garden.
Feel free to intersperse your herb planting with flowers as well, and then you will not only have a convenient and easily accessible source of herbs, but a riot of colour to enjoy as well. Something that will ensure that your garden strikes precisely the right balance between function and beauty.
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