In this day of rising inflation and high food prices, vegetable growing has become very popular.  Although some people have difficulty finding room for a dedicated veggie garden, careful selection of vegetable varieties yields plants that blend well into existing ornamental gardens.

This garden bed is jam-packed with ornamental vegetables that would be happy in almost any location that receives full sun (6-8 hours per day)

Hops Vine (Humulus lupulus) is the perennial centerpiece vine on the large trellis.  The lovely green flower bracts are used to flavor beer , and young leaves and shoots may be tossed in salads or cooked like other greens.

Malabar Spinach  (Basella alba) is also growing on the southwest side of the trellis.  With striking maroon stems and shiny fleshy green leaves, this is one of the few tasty spinach substitutes that thrives in hot weather.  Although the late summer pink blooms are stunning, flavor is best raw when the leaves and shoots are young.  Later season leaves, shoots, and seeds may all be cooked.

Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus) is the final annual vine growing on the southeast side of the trellis.  Beautiful in bloom, both the flowers and beans are edible.  My personal favorite is to snack on the bright red blooms directly from the plant, enjoying their sweetness in the summer son.  The young beans may be cooked and eaten like standard green beans, though they are a touch stringier, and the dry bean seeds may be soaked, cooked, and eaten, as well as saved and planted in following years.

Okra ‘Bulldog’ (Abelmoschus esculentus) is the relatively tall plant growing to the west of the trellis.  Related to hibiscus, the beautiful cream and maroon flowers are attractive against reddish stems.  The flowers are followed by pointed reddish pods that are best cooked and eaten at 2-4” length

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) comes in many colors of both roots and leaves.  Grown here are “Beauregard” and “Margarite”.  Although the roots of the ornamental Margarite are starchy and not particularly flavorful, the leaves and shoots of both plants are full of vitamins and have less bitterness than kale or swiss chard.  A bit strong in flavor when eaten raw, they are best in a salad of mixed greens, but may be cooked in the same way you would use spinach.  The roots are dug just after frost and store well all winter at room temperature.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) is every bit as beautiful in the garden as its close relative, Kale.  Two particularly lovely types grown here are ‘Ruby Perfection’ and ‘Alcosa’, a savoy.

Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is known by many as a superfood, but the same plant is often grown as a strictly ornamental addition to pots and flower gardens.  Grown here are varieties ‘Scarlet’ and ‘Redbor’

Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. Vulgaris) is a type of beet that has been developed for its tasty leaves that are great both raw in salads and cooked.  There are many ornamental selections and the one grown here is ‘Rhubarb’ which also grows well as the centerpiece in a mixed container.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) comes in a variety of sizes and colors.  The specimen grown here is one of the six varieties being trialed this year as part of the Master Gardener Seed Trials.  Because this is a blind trial, the variety name is unknown at this point, but will be available next year.  We are assured this one will have purple fruit, but eggplant also comes in white, lavender, green, and multi-colored.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum) offers a wide choice of plant size and fruit size, color, and heat.  Many of the varieties are ornamental indeed and your selection can be guided simply by the size of the plant and your allotted space.  Originally we planted three peppers in this garden:  ‘Biquinho’ (a very unusual tiny fruit from Brazil), ‘Pot-a-Peno’ (an All-American selections winning jalapeno designed for hanging baskets), and ‘Numex Easter’ (a 6” tall plant with upward-facing spicy fruit in yellow, lavender, and red).  Unfortunately, the resident rabbits made the first and last into lunch, leaving only the Pot-a-Peno.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) comes in sizes as varied as peppers, with fruit from tiny currant size to one-pound beefsteaks.  Two varieties are grown here ‘Terenzo’ and ‘Fantistico’.  Both are dwarf plants with cherry-size fruits that also do well incontainers.

Marigold ‘Lemon Gem’ (Tagetes tenuifolia) is a close relative of the garden marigolds, and are every bit as beautiful in bloom.  However, the Lemon Gem flower tastes like its namesake, the lemon, and is wonderful as a snack in the garden or tossed into a leafy green salad with other edible flowers.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is everyone’s favorite for fresh-from-the-garden salads, and comes in a number of colors and textures.  Shown here is ‘Black-Seeded Simpson’ (in chartreuse) along with a red-leaf variety.

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) is not known as a Minnesota crop, but the plants may be grown here and are both fun to grow and attractive, though not terribly productive.  Extremely unusual in growing habit, once the yellow flowers are pollinated, their stalk elongates toward the soil and forces the ovary underground where the pea is formed.  Plants are dug after frost when the  advantage to growing your own is revealed: fresh, raw peanuts.

Asparagus Pea or Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) like peanuts, need a long season to produce well, but the plant is so beautiful you almost won’t mind not getting a crop.  A member of the pea family, it produces lovely deep crimson (edible) flowers over the delicate blue-green foliage.  The pods should be picked for eating when just an inch or so long, and are best sauteed briefly before enjoying their delicate asparagus-like flavor.

Toothache Plant (Spilanthes acmella or Acmella oleracea) is considered edible and medicinal.  Small amounts of shredded leaves may be added to salads and leaves may be cooked.  Most fun is to nibble on a leaf (no need to swallow) and wait for your mouth and tongue to go numb!  The numbness lasts just a minute or two, but can be a definite conversation starter.

Globe Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. Scolymus) is a species of thistle grown for food.  The edible portion of the plant is the flower bud before it actually blooms, but if you miss the harvest window, the blooms are a large and a spectacular blue!

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) comes in a variety of sizes, flavors, and colors.  Any of them mix well in an ornamental garden, but the small-leaf, or dark-leaf varieties are especially attractive.  Grown here is “Red Rubin”.

One final note:  when eating new-to-you vegetables, try small amounts first to be sure you do not have allergies or adverse reactions to the plant.