Plants that look good and taste great are often referred to as ‘edimentals’, and they’ve been gaining in popularity over recent years.
Growing them against the right structure ensures that these plants do double duty as a delicious source of food and an eye-catching addition to the garden - these are our five top combinations:
Grow a Tower of Squash
Some edibles need a solid support system and squash definitely fit that category. Their shapely fruits can be very heavy. Durable does not have to mean dull, though, and the Elegance King Obelisk is a brilliant way to grow and display them. Plant seedlings out after first frosts, adding a nutritious mulch. As the fruits develop, cut away surrounding leaves to encourage ripening. Squash come in all shapes and sizes, from the blue-grey Crown Prince F1 to the crazily shaped Tromboncino.
Showcase Cucumbers
Cucumbers are not only delicious to eat in summer salads, they make a handsome garden feature when grown vertically. Choose a vining cucumber, rather than a bush variety, and it will scramble happily over a trellis in a sunny spot. Growing up a structure, rather than along the ground boosts air flow, reducing the risk of disease and keeping crops safe from rotting in damp soil. The Elegance Jute Strung Folding Frame gives the ultimate in flexible support for the border or Kitchen Garden, the four panels of this frame can be positioned and strung with biodegradable jute string to create a support exactly as required.
Celebrate Climbing Beans
Bean plants are so beautiful they deserve a special place in the spotlight. Whether it is the purple splashed patterns of the borlotti bean, the glow of a golden runner, or the fresh zing of the familiar green French or runner bean varieties, this is an appealing, space-saving crop with high yields. The Runner Bean Tower needs less than 1 meter of bed space, enabling crops to soar skywards. Beans will thrive in confined spaces, but they need regular watering, at least every other day.
Train Tomatoes
The taste of a freshly picked, sun-warmed tomato is something to be celebrated, and if the growing conditions are right, they’re one of the most rewarding crops to cultivate. Even in the the tiniest courtyard gardens you can include an Elegance Hanging Basket planted with a variety of tomato such as ‘Tumbling Tom’ not only does it make the most of a small growing space, it becomes a visual feature to be enjoyed.
Tomatoes need a regular specialist feed through the growing season. Remove lower leaves to improve air circulation, and nip out the shoots which appear in the joints between stem and branch. Apart from that, it’s a matter of crossing fingers for sunny days for ripening!
Peas on Parade
With soft skins and a sweet taste, young peas are a summer highlight. Their scrambling habit, curly shoots and fresh green foliage are picture perfect in any plot, and they look particularly good if they are planted in an orderly line. The Elegance Pea Frame provides three panels with gothic tops to ensure just the right amount of restraint. Sow pea seeds in early spring, and add protection against passing pigeons. Try ‘Hurst Greenshaft’ or ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ for two reliable varieties. Endless pods of freshly picked peas are virtually guaranteed!
