One of the biggest gardening trends gaining traction recently is the use of “edimentals” (a portmanteau of edible and ornamental). These multitasking plants serve as both food crops and aesthetic garden design elements.

Edibles can be used in a very similar manner as traditional ornamentals. You can design your beds, borders and containers by considering the characteristics of a crop. You have a seemingly endless variety of colour, size and texture options when selecting seeds.

For containers:

The concept of spiller, thriller and filler can be applied to food in containers! Spiller plants hang over the sides of a container to soften its edges. Crops that spill might include bush beans, oregano or tumbling tomato varieties. Filler crops are low growing crops which spread horizontally to fill gaps and cover the surface of the soil; these might include lettuce, basil, chamomile and thyme. The most striking element, the thriller, could include chives, kale, dill or peppers. Play with the features of the crops that you love the most; the possibilities are countless!

For beds and borders:

Garden design principles can be applied to food as well; you can plant crops in drifts or groups, use repeating patterns or have a focal point specimen (hello, artichoke!) Also, consider edible swaps when it comes to trees and shrubs. Instead of a tree grown for flower or foliage, why not consider a fruit tree? Or consider a blueberry hedge instead of a boxwood hedge.

You don’t need to commit to a bed or border that is exclusively filled with edibles. For example, I like to grow pollinator-friendly cut flowers in my vegetable garden to help boost crop pollination. Those flowers also make a lovely addition to my seed-to-plate tablescapes.

Don’t forget edible flowers!

Flowers aren’t just for pollinators and bouquets; some of them are edible too! Some of my favourite edible flowers in the garden include chive, calendula, and nasturtium.

Edimental Mindset

In 2024, I spent more time in my community teaching people of all ages how to incorporate edibles into their garden. By shifting our mindset from the functionality of food crops to their beauty, we can take a new approach to garden planning. We can make our gardens beautiful while becoming more sustainable and self-sufficient.

Some of my favourite edimentals to grow from seed:

  • Purple Peacock pole beans
  • Integro purple cabbage
  • Redbor Kale
  • Darkness loose leaf lettuce
  • Purple Mist peas
  • Peppermint Swiss chard