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Post by daylilydude on Dec 22, 2010 12:27:24 GMT -5
I have not tried it yet, but I bet rainbow chard would look great. Anyone try this sort of thing?
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Dec 22, 2010 13:23:04 GMT -5
A yard with space limitations is the perfect place to combine ornamentals and edibles. Somewhere, I have a picture of my grandfather standing in front of his rowhouse yard in all it's spendor. There were Jerusalem Artichokes, Horseradish, Tomatoes, Peppers and lots of flowers in and around the pigeon coop and rabbit hutch.
The perennial bed here runs the length of the front yard. Previous owner put in an abundance of flowers including antique roses with lots of hips; red currant bushes and now that it's our house, I've added my herb garden to the mix of things.
The front flower beds under porch windows have a few perennials and since we bought the place, I've also added Chamomile, Lamb's Ears and comfrey. In spring, along with Annuals like Zinnias, Snapdragons and Nasturtiums, I've been planting 3 varieties of Broom Corn (Baker Creek's Multi, Red's Red and Iowa Red from Sandhill).
And of course, container plantings add even more to the confusion with a variety of eggplant colours and shapes and peppers.
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Post by coppice on Dec 22, 2010 15:21:38 GMT -5
Would echinacea do? Valerian? I've grown both of them in the veggie beds.
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rintintin
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Post by rintintin on Dec 24, 2010 19:03:02 GMT -5
Asparagus has beautiful fern-like growth that will fit in well with a front yard planting. A word of caution though: Do not let your neighbors witness your early spring harvesting, or it may be your last harvest. (Just make it look like you are weeding.)
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Post by coppice on Dec 26, 2010 14:01:43 GMT -5
If you are a chili-head the smaller peppers are ornamental enough to fit in. The naive will only pick one out of your front yard flower bed.
Cayenne is about as big a pepper to plant 'out front'
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Dec 26, 2010 16:55:25 GMT -5
I have Asparagus beside the Echinacea; Raspberries and Rue next to Holly and Ivy. Since our backyard is only a few feet wide and mostly shaded by the woods, Big peppers grow out front too; the more vibrant the better.
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Post by sorellina on Jan 14, 2011 11:25:41 GMT -5
Ciao all-
I absolutely agree about planting ornamental peppers as bedding plants. Japonica Striped corn is pretty enough to grow in the front yard with it's beautiful foliage as are a number of different amaranths. Purple Magesty Millet F1 is another good choice for the front yard. For smaller plantings, ornamental kales and chards are very pretty. Okra with its hibiscus flowers would also look nice. Runner and Hyacinth beans have flowers that rival Sweet Peas for beauty, but need something like a trellis for climbing.
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adobo
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Post by adobo on Jan 14, 2011 22:54:58 GMT -5
+1 on the okra as ornamental. try white egg eggplant as ornamental too. that variety is prolific and produce chicken egg sized fruits.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2011 15:55:14 GMT -5
I have planted the following in my flower beds and with flowers in containers: Swiss Chard with petunias, zinnias in the vegetable garden (attracts butterflies & bees), Sunflowers with cucumbers (sunflower is a trap plant for stink bugs and the cucumbers grow up the sunflower), eggplant & peppers with flowers...
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Post by izitmidnight on Apr 11, 2011 19:51:22 GMT -5
Lots of vegetables in my flower beds. Tomatos are in the front zinnia bed along the road. They are the ones donated by neighbors who help themselves. I have an asparagus/strawberry/marigold bed. My peppers/eggplant and cucumbers are in my hollyhock bed. (Of course my real veggie garden is at the community garden.
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 5, 2011 19:01:43 GMT -5
Would okra be good in a flower bed, and would it need to be planted more towards the back of the bed?
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okiedrifter
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Post by okiedrifter on Jun 6, 2011 8:09:26 GMT -5
When Honey was in the military we were stationed in Tampa fla.the base comander would not let us have veggie gardens..can you imagine....so I planted the prettiest flowers in a hedge got the best comments on them.....the yard inspectors were there the day they started to look bad and I dug up all the nice potatos.....they laughed at how I got around the base commander..
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Post by gulfcoastguy on Jun 6, 2011 11:38:24 GMT -5
I plant chile peppers, eggplants, and herbs in my "flower gardens" all the time. One four foot high and wide shrub is rosemary.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2011 6:00:40 GMT -5
Amaranth is beautiful in a flower bed. I grow 'Intense Purple' amaranth in mine.
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