Edibles, Offering More than Food

Chives in Bloom.

Ornamental vegetables and herbs are the ultimate multifunctional plants, offering food and beauty. Even though many of these gems have been historically grown in crop rows or individual plots, they are right at home in the mixed border, rubbing elbows with your favorite annuals, perennials, bulbs, trees and shrubs.

While some ornamental edibles are perennial, many are not hardy and are grown as annuals. The key to success is to pair them with other plants that have similar light, water, and soil requirements. Many of these veggies and herbs also make great container plants. Placing them right up on your deck or patio, where they are easy to harvest.

Caution: Brushing up against these plants or handling their leaves might make your stomach grumble. Many aromatic edibles are the herbs we enjoy in our favorite dishes. They are useful beyond taste, however, providing striking foliage and flowers. Species with gray-green or purple tinted foliage are especially useful when creating captivating combinations. These tones provide a pleasing backdrop for more colorful plants and can be used as a common thread to visually sew plantings together.