Porch/yard
Timothy Lee Landscape Design surrounded this 'Endless Summer' hydrangea bush with nepeta, inkberry, viburnum and Siberian irises.
This kitchen garden looks a lot like one you would find in Colonial Williamsburg. It's so great that these people have dedicated such a large part of their patio space to it.
In this tiered garden, leafy greens look just as beautiful as a more typical ornamental plant.
Edible gardens can also go vertical. A fence like this can act as a lattice for vines.
You know what goes with Cor-Ten steel ? Chives!
This garden mixes produce with ornamental plants.
I spied this garden the other day when I was looking for bocce ball courts. I love the way the edible plants inhabit the space between the court and the walkway.
Fresh herbs spill from planters lining a walkway. The variety of plants used in each one adds interest, though using a single plant would work just as well.
Tuberous begonias shine, whether planted in the garden or hanging in baskets, but you can also pull them into the kitchen. The flowers have a light yet crisp taste that works well in salads and sandwiches, and they're also great as a garnish. You can even eat them with a dip. Warning: Use only tuberous begonia hybrids. They also contain oxalic acid, so don't eat them if you have gout, kidney stones or rheumatism.
Dianthus (also known as pinks) have a sweet, almost clovelike flavor. Use as a garnish, or add to salads or butters. These miniature carnations can be bitter, so taste them first.
Scented geraniums (Pelargonium species, not the hardy true geraniums) have small but fragrant flowers that can be added to fruit salads, creams or sugar. You can also try candying the flowers. The rose-scented geraniums tend to be the most popular, but give the others a try. Warning: The citronelle variety, despite its name, is not edible.
Citrus blossoms can be as edible as the fruit. Taste first, as the flavor varies and may be overly strong. Use them to garnish lemonade, ice cream or whipped cream; add them to salads or mix them with butter to flavor fish or fowl. You can also candy the blossoms for a sweet treat, although the edges may turn brown in the process.
Though they're best known for their perfume, lavender flowers are also a well-known kitchen staple. Use them as a garnish or in salads; add them to syrup, vinegar or lemonade; or bake them into sugar cookies.
Pansies are also a natural edging for a vegetable garden. While many people will think you're simply combining flowers with your edibles, you'll know that everything can be used in the kitchen
Members of the viola family, from pansies and johnny-jump-ups to violets, are a sweet edible flower with a hint of wintergreen. Add individual petals to salads, tea sandwiches or cheese; top cupcakes with whole flowers. Candied violets have long held a place of honor in the dessert world, but plain violets can also be added to sugar to infuse it with a delicate flavor.
The flowers of all types of roses can be used in a number of ways. You can candy the petals; include them in salads or tea sandwiches; add them to jelly, jam, butter and honey; brew tea or use them to flavor sugar (remove the petals before using the sugar). Be sure to taste first, as the flavors vary greatly from rose to rose — a general rule of thumb is that the deeper the color, the stronger the taste. It's also a good idea to remove the white base of the flower, as it is generally bitter.
Nasturtiums are not only one of the easiest flowers to grow, they're versatile in the kitchen. All parts are edible, and they have a somewhat sharp and peppery taste that may be unexpected. They're a colorful addition to green salads. You can also chop up the leaves and petals and add them to butters or vinegars. Use them as a final decorative touch as well, whether pressed into a round of goat cheese or topping a chocolate cake.
This backyard kitchen proves valuable in the summer months, when most of the entertaining is done by the pool. Claire says, "We designed our al fresco to get the sea breeze and still be protected. I love the outdoor table. It's made of concrete fiberglass compound, and I've never seen anything else like it."
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