Kitchen Garden Creation

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Renee couldn’t agree more. She lets herbs like arugula and thyme flower for the same reason.

“Good bugs, like ladybugs and praying mantises, are those that eat aphids and whiteflies,” she says. “With the shortage of bees in the country now, having flowers that feed the bees is really important for good pollination.” Sweet alyssum, with its tiny white flowers and sweet fragrance, is one of her favorites for attracting beneficial insects, and she often edges her vegetable beds with the familiar annual flower. 

Design

Although there are no design rules for kitchen gardens, Jennifer Bartley says the typical, historical potagers were laid out in a four-square pattern with a central feature. Such a design is attractive and functional.

“The rectilinear form works very well,” she says, “and it’s very compatible for fencing. Four-foot-wide beds are a good working dimension because you can easily reach in to weed or harvest without stepping in the bed and compacting the soil. And when you lay it out that way, it’s easier to think about rotating crops.”

David doesn’t believe raised beds are necessary unless gardeners are dealing with hard soil and difficult drainage, but he agrees they are convenient and says some type of border is often necessary to ward off invasive plants like quack grass. Greg Bonovetz, who gardens in heavy clay soil, finds raised beds beneficial because they dry out earlier in the spring and allow for early planting. “In addition,” he says, “as a gardener gets older, raised beds mean less bending when harvesting the produce.”

Renee offers two kitchen garden plans on her website (www.ReneesGarden.com): one for long summer, mild winter gardens, and one for short summer, cold winter gardens. She believes planting in beds instead of in rows is a much more efficient use of space and means less weeding. She thins the plants as they grow so they just touch each other and crowd out weeds.

Kevin’s eight raised beds ensure drainage and help control watering.

“This year we had more rain during the summer months than we required,” he says, “and the raised beds helped save the tomato crop from serious blossom end-rot disease.” He also prefers raised beds because “access to the crop without needing boots each time is a big plus.” 

Pretty plants

Choosing vegetables for their ornamental value goes a long way toward creating an attractive kitchen garden. Just as you would in planning a flower bed, think about leaf form, height and texture, and foliage color, contrast and juxtaposition. ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard is one of the most striking examples with its multicolored stems and shiny, ruffled leaves. ‘Romanesco’ broccoli has pale green spiral florets that resemble a minaret. Ornamental kale and cabbage are sturdy plants that hold their purplish hues until snow covers them.

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