The Urban Permaculture Farm Magazine

Growing organic food for the family table is the main goal for my garden. However, when I was planning my garden, I knew I wanted something more. I wanted a garden that could give me space to relax, and beauty beyond the gorgeous vegetables that grow there. I had ideas, and allowed the garden to evolve. Here are some elements I've incorporated this year:

Add Water

Having a birdbath invites birds into your garden. Giving the birds a source for water also calls them in to eat the bugs that are feasting on your vegetables. You can get birdbaths in a variety of shapes and sizes or simply put water in shallow containers in various spots in the garden. Two of my cats like to hang out in the garden and they rely on the birdbaths for their water supply too - or maybe they are just there for the catnip...

Plant Flowers

If your garden is like mine, it seems like every inch of good soil is needed to grow fruit and vegetables. After reading the plans for the White House Garden, I decided to plant some flowers on the front edge of my raised beds, and some climbing flowers along the fence. I planted them because I thought they would add splashes of color to the garden. The bonus is that these flowers attract bees and a wide variety of butterflies to the garden. Flowers I planted include: Coral Honeysuckle, Purple Passion Vine, Sunflowers, Hollyhocks, Marigolds, Portulaca, Ageratum, and Zinnias.

Don't remove that plant just yet... 

Let a few of your lettuces and herbs stay in the garden after they have bolted. When a plant "bolts" it puts out the flowers that will help produce seeds. Generally, once a plant bolts, all the energy is going into the flowers and the quality of the edible leaves goes down quite a bit - so most gardeners pull them out. I decided to keep my Italian Parsley, Sweet Basil, and a few lettuces like Arugula and Chicory after they started flowering. I have been amazed at the number of bees that are attracted to these plants in particular. I like to imagine the homey they are making tastes incredible with al the rich and spicy flavors.

A Place to Rest

Gardening is a lot of fun, but can be hard work too. Having a place to take a break is really helpful. Add a small bench or chair, and maybe a table to hold your day's harvest, gloves, clippers or a cold cup of water. I've enjoyed having my morning coffee in the garden, listening to the birds and taking in the beauty of the plants.