From garden to plate - How to start your edible garden

Growing your own food can be incredibly rewarding, and you don’t need a big garden to do it! 

Even if you’re working with a small space, like a balcony or patio, you can create an edible garden that will take your cooking (and green fingers) to the next level. Here’s how to get started:


Herbs: the perfect place to start
Herbs are a fantastic option for edible gardens, especially if you’re short on space. Basil, mint, parsley, and coriander are all easy to grow in pots or small planters. Plus, they’ll go well in a variety of dishes, whether you’re whipping up pasta or a salad. Just snip what you need and add it in!

Quick tip: Keep your herb garden near the kitchen for easy access. A sunny windowsill or outdoor spot with morning sun is perfect.

Edible flowers: a pretty and tasty touch
Edible flowers not only look lovely in your garden, but they also add a fun, colourful element and subtly flavour to your meals. Try planting pansies, nasturtiums, or calendula – they can be used to garnish salads, desserts, or even cocktails!

Veggie plant pots
You don’t need a full garden plot to grow vegetables – many small veggies thrive in pots – like cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and cucumbers, or radishes. 

They grow quickly and can easily be thrown into most everyday meals. Cherry tomatoes are particularly versatile – add them to your salads, pasta, or roast them on the BBQ for an extra burst of flavour!

Strawberries 
Believe it or not, you don’t need a big garden to grow a few strawberry plants, they also do well in planter boxes.

Discover how you could grow strawberries at home this summer.

Extra sustainable cooking tip…
Did you know that food scraps and garden waste from your edible garden can create biogas and one day this could be used in place of natural gas? Try this easy biogas experiment (for kids, or curious adults) to learn how!