Creating an attractive vegetable garden

First and foremost, a vegetable garden needs to be functional. You will be wanting to grow vegetables, fruit, and herbs. But functional does not mean that it cannot look good too – a few simple interventions can turn your vegetable garden into a mini ‘heaven on earth’.

Vegetable gardens are usually divided into rectangular blocks, which helps to make it neat, but a little dull! A diagonal line can help to make the design that bit more interesting. You can even choose a circular shape, where the blocks move out from a central point a little like a cobweb. Plant a fruit tree at the centre, and you can create a very special garden. Raised planting also offers more variation.

Clay pavers can give your vegetable garden a feel of nostalgia. Create a natural link with rolled layers of pavers as edging instead of grey concrete kerbstones. You can use clay pavers forattractive edging to separate your vegetable garden from the remainder of your garden. Pay good attention to how your decorative paving drains and ensure that the planting is lower than the paving and that the paving slopes slightly towards the vegetable garden. This way, rain water will run towards the vegetables and you will have to water everything less often.

Did you know that many vegetables are climbers? Not just pod vegetables, but also courgettes, squashes, and cucumbers – they can all grow high. A good way to grow them is to create a traditional wigwam structure from bamboo canes. Or, perhaps, a nice pergola, a green gateway with colourful climbing vegetables, which will form a great eye-catcher.

Vary your fruit and vegetable plants with flowers – not only does it look great, but it also has practical benefits. The flowers will attract butterflies and bees, which are important for pollinating crops. Without pollination, there’ll be no tomatoes or beans. Certain flowering plants can also help to guard against pests. Garden nasturtium is particularly attractive to aphids, which will mean that they will leave your vegetables alone! Finally, some flowers are also edible. Marigold, viola odorata, and cornflower are also fantastic in salads.