Elements of [my] Edible Ornamental Gardens

Today I planted out the fall seedlings in the first section of the NE street view garden.   Our NE garden was originally a poorly implemented ornamental garden.

We converted it ...

There are really several sections to this garden.  This section today is a 32 sqft area I carved out in front of a loose line of Mr Lincoln Rose, Beauty Berry and Azalea.  Literally carved out.  Smilax tubers and vines, Virginia Creeper, Wild Grapevine, Boston Fern gone crazy and a few large philodendrons for good measure.  It took months.  When I thought it was all out, I covered it all with plastic for a few months.

Late this spring, I pulled off the plastic.  Layed out cardboard and newspaper.  Then tossed in all sorts of organic stuff.  Compost from our bin, leaves from the yard, Black Cow, Peat, Pine shavings, dumped out potted plants.  Then I planted it with peanuts from the organic veggie department.  They grew and grew all summer.

I was ready for the garden space, so I pulled all the peanuts out - green and still growing.  Added lots of amendments and soil improvers, topped with a few inches of pine straw mulch and let it sit for a week.

This garden section is 4' wide by 8' long.  One short end is the driveway and the other end is a pathway of granite blocks.  The long front side is the main 4' wide grassed path through the NE garden and on the back side is a short feeder path.

The back of this garden is the existing Rose, Beauty Berry and Azalea along with a Banana and False Roselle that we added.  This loose back edge is the perennial edge that will always be providing interest to the garden, regardless of what is going on in the edible area.  Additionally, there are caladiums, mums, impatiens, ornamental grass.

Flowers and blooming plants are an important part of my garden.  The flowers provide visual interest and help to attract beneficial insects and pollinators.  I try to keep something blooming all the time, and really like it when I have a local native choice (sometimes called a weed).

Late spring, I also planted small stature eggplant and okra along with some argenta swiss chard.  The thought was to have something growing in the fall when I pulled out the peanuts.  The front path edge is intended to be bordered with parsley.  Right now it is a very slim border! 

Hardscape interest is pretty minimal.  An interesting rock gifted from a plant swap, a few shepherds hooks, some pathway lights.  A Wind chime, hanging pots, and a pretty hummingbird feeder.  The sturdy shepherds hooks are dual purpose.  They hold pretties, provide a pole for climbing plants and best off all -  with a piece of rebar driven into the ground for additional bracing, provide me with a grab bar.

My essentials list for an edible ornamental garden includes:
- A healthy serving of perennials to provide four season interest and continuity to the garden space
- Interesting hardscape to draw the eye in
- Color!
- Wide access pathways with secure footing
- Grab bars to use for balance
- Interesting and functional hose guards at corners
- Handy trowel
- Interesting plant stakes
- Wildlife water source
- Blooming plants to attract pollinators and beneficial insects
- Plants with interesting and potent foliage smells
- Robust worm population
- Mulch
- A convenient spot to sit for a spell

This garden is mostly shade.  A few hours of direct sun, many hours of dappled sun.  It will be home to some of the fall cole crops.  Plants that I learned did well in shade last fall.  Most of today's seedlings will be quite large at maturity.  They need plenty of growing space.  Later this week, I'll come back and plant some radish seed between the plants.  The radish will grow quickly and come out before the cole plants need the space.  I also need to get some more parsley growing in the front border!  A solid and dense edging of parsley will help to add a sense of structure and orderliness to the garden.

Today I transplanted from seedlings:

2 Florida Variegated Collards
2 Green Glaze Collards
5 Bonnie Hybrid Green heading cabbage
3 Radicchio
2 Matador Spinach
4 Romaine lettuce
1 Redbor Kale
1 Basil
1 Broccoli Spigarello
1 Variegated Basil (found at Casa Depot and called Perpetual Pesto)

Oh!  And those Ornamental Perennials?  Banana - edible fruit, Rose - edible hips, Beautyberry - edible fruit, False Roselle - edible foliage and blossoms. 

After it cools down a bit and we can think about fall plants I'll be adding some more flowers.  More color and interest.