Interesting concept
I would say both are function over fashion.
My VG is in the only sunny spot in the yard - and by chance - the grubs killed the grass and I took the opportunity to turn into a small veggie garden.
I love my deck - even though people walk right by the house on the sidewalk - they don't see me - but I can see my veggie garden and bird feeders.

Our VG was ruined during the construction, but if DH gets around to replanting it someday, it will be to the side of our porch. Quite small, really not worth mentioning, but since you asked.

New kitchen will have a small seating area and fireplace. I can't wait until its done... a few more weeks. Decisions, Decisions. Still must pick stone for FP, countertops, BS and paint, etc.

I can't wait to establish a vegetable garden next summer at out new house. I plan on having a "utilitarian" raised bed in the back but lots of herbs and tomato pots on/near the patio. I love the smell of tomato plants! We will have lots of deer at our new house so the vegetable garden will need to be protected with fencing/netting. I don't see how that would integrate well near the patio.

Right now I just have a 4x4 self watering planter in the back yard. I'm hoping to get some lettuce and spinach seeds planted soon. My 3 and 1 year old have been digging in it for the last 2 weeks so I'm not sure well it will grow this year. The Elmo garden set proved to be a little too exciting for my little "helpers". Lol.

I do have a wonderful peach tree right off my deck. That's fantastic. :-)

I have always thought a seating area in the middle o the vg would be cool. Currently I have seating overlooking the garden where I like to relax and view the rows of veggies. My garden is removed from the house, at the back of the garage since this is where the sun is. I was planning on digging up the daylilies by my kitchen door and having some onion and shallot rows growing for handy use in the kitchen. Sort of a mini kitchen garden.

Gemini- Sounds nice...easy to see you garden, but privacy from the street.

Dilly- Your kitchen is going to be wonderful! A little garden, off the porch is still seating by the garden. Maybe some herbs for a little fragrance?

Mom23Es- I don't think the deer will bother your tomatoes or most herbs...but they will eat dill. I hide mine, in with the cosmos and zinnias, which they don't eat. Of course, all deer are different, but fencing the main garden is a good idea!

Greenhousems- Maybe add a bench with a little arbor over it? Shady place to have a glass of lemonade, in the garden? It's so hot here, in the summer...it's nice to have shade within a few steps of any garden area :)

This is a fun thread! I wonder how many of us garden. I'm a bit fanatical.

I've never really had an eat-in kitchen, just our soon-to-be-ex-kitchen's peninsula seating. Since the peninsula was our main prep area and since sitting there afforded us excellent views of all the dishes, knives, cutting boards, etc. used in prep, it was not very relaxing to sit at!

And now that I think of it, I don't have a lot of seating in the garden(s) either. One 25'x75' plot at our local "community gardens" (I have to drive there) consists of 27 raised beds with paths between them. I do sit on the edges of the raised beds, but more often at one end underneath a tree, since I like to look at the whole plot and the bees, dragonflies, butterflies, flowers, veggies, etc. from that end. At home, the veggie garden is in a fenced-off area to prevent critters from getting in, though there are roses and clemati growing on the pergola gateway to it.

So I guess my favorite thing is to sit on the patio and be surrounded by the beds of flowers, herbs, shrubs, and trees when at home. I do like to sit looking at the crammed-full "kitchen garden" though. I can hardly wait until we get to eat out there every night again.

Neither of those really counts as "in the garden," but they're more in the garden than overlooking the garden from, say, a deck raised above them or something.

The main exception is at home when the mosquitos start coming out. We're looking forward to our new sunroom where we can look out at the gardens without (my husband) being eaten alive!

bean

Lavender,

This was one of the important design criteria for me when we did the sweeby test. We compromised and stayed with a galley and instead of an island, I have a banquette with a view of the garden. I have doors leading out the courtyard and garden from both ends of the galley. There are 2 huge planters edging the courtyard that have a lime tree and various geraniums right now. I might make this the herb planter and add a fig tree. The veggie plot is right next to it.. I am planning to make it slightly bigger and make it a potager garden with veggies and some things to add more beauty like marigolds. Even as i type, i am looking at some garden obelisks to seeif hey will look good in the middle of the potager. The back yard is walled off and fenced in so animals are not an issue. One of the small blessings of california is the indoor outdoor lifestyle that we want to optimize for. I plan to be able to grow more of our food and "put up" more.

In our current place there is no place to sit 'in' the garden but it's close by... in our new place I definitely want a place to sit in all the gardens, veggie and fruit and flower. There is such positive energy out by the growing stuff!

Fun topic and very appropriate to the kitchen forum because the kitchen's relation to the garden is an issue for many.

Our kitchen is sit-in and our garden also--supposedly, but I learned long ago that I'll never just sit there for long. Between travel and health, it's sadly neglected right now, but when out there I will always jump up to pull or clip something. Very pleasant and fun, but the relaxation doesn't come from sitting.

Although our kitchen opens directly to the garden (a big requirement), I prefer a modest-size veggie garden very close by and quick to get to, but out of direct sight. Ours is on a terrace half a flight down on the side of the house and (when the board-framed beds are actually planted) is for fresh greens, herbs, and some of the more expensive or hard-to-come-by veggies. Pulling a curtain tier across the window bay in the kitchen makes this whole area disappear when it's just not appealing--like late summer and all winter, leaving an edited view of the woods and hillside falling away beyond.

What you can see outside the kitchen's main door into the garden are simply a busy birdbath and a tiny circular garden with some of the more decorative, evergreen herbs and a decorative seat. It's a delight all year round.