Bespoke House History Research

As a total beginner!

In true cottage-garden style, I attempted to grow not just ornamental flowers… but also edibles in my first ever season of gardening. Probably getting ahead of myself, I sowed multiple seeds (with no greenhouse) in February and March. The majority failed, but thanks to the warm spring we had, and a trip to the garden center to buy a few seedlings, I have managed to grow a few edible plants through to harvest in my first attempt.

1. Herbs

Starting with herbs, because these are something I plan to keep as a staple in my spring and summer garden, and will definitely grow again next year. Admittedly, it is less for their edible benefits, and more for their suitability as companion plants that appeals to me the most.

I planted lavender, rosemary, parsley, and chives around the base of two of my roses in an attempt to attract natural pest-control insects. The strong scents of these herbs can act as a deterrent to some pests, as well as an invite to beneficial insects.

All of them have been pretty easy to grow, with rosemary being the lowest maintenance. I have it in a pot and often forget about it, thanks to its tendency to just get on with things, no matter the weather.

2. Strawberries

These I didn’t grow from seed. I bought them as bare-root plants in the spring. I liked the idea of growing strawberries in a hanging basket, with the fruit trailing over the edges.

That vision came true, but in hindsight, you really do need several plants to get a decent yield. Growing just one or two in a hanging basket doesn’t produce enough to feel worthwhile. I’ve decided I’m not growing these to eat myself, but more for their ornamental value… and to feed the birds.

I probably won’t grow strawberries again next year. I just don’t have the space to make it feel worth the effort. They are also hungry plants, needing regular feeding and watering. That’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it is something to think about if you’re looking for lower-maintenance edibles.

3. Beans

I wanted to experiment with at least one climbing edible plant this year. Ornamental climbers have become a bit of a staple in my cottage garden – with roses, clematis, climbing hydrangea, and annuals like sweet peas and thunbergia alata all firm favourites of mine. So I loved the idea of introducing a climbing edible too.

I went for a runner bean variety and started it off against a fence near the bottom of the garden. Unfortunately, some of its main stems were chomped by a rabbit, leaving just two. In a last-minute rescue mission, I moved it to a trellis closer to the house. Thankfully, it survived, and although it won’t produce a huge yield, it’s still brought me a lot of joy to see the beans hanging from the trellis.

In all honesty, beans aren’t a staple in my vegetable diet. I was hoping that growing them might make me more inclined to eat them, but with a bunny rabbit munching half the plant, things didn’t exactly go to plan.

Like many edibles, runner beans are hungry plants and need regular watering and feeding. Again, something to consider when thinking about maintenance levels.

4. Blueberries

One of the first plants I bought this year… the garden centre saw me coming with this ‘Pink Lemonade’ variety. It produced the most beautiful little flowers in spring, which have been slowly developing into juicy, pink-toned blueberries through summer. I haven’t eaten anything from the bush yet, but I love it even just for its ornamental value.

Blueberry plants prefer acidic soil, so I’ve kept mine in a container where the pH is easier to control.

5. Courgette

In all my excitement to build a cottage garden, I heard that courgette plants were very generous growers – and I immediately wanted one. I actually grew this one from seed, on a sunny windowsill, and because of that, I’ve become quite attached to it. It was one of my first real gardening successes.

That said, it’s becoming more and more neglected as the season goes on. I’ve never been a huge fan of courgette, and unfortunately that hasn’t changed. I just can’t keep up with how quickly it produces – and since I’m not that into eating it, using it all feels like a chore.

Again, as with many other edible plants, courgettes need regular watering and feeding. They also take up a fair bit of space due to their sprawling habit.

6. Tomatoes

As a total beginner, I’ve grown these with absolutely no proper care or attention. I ran out of large containers and border space, so they’ve been stuck in temporary plastic grow pots for way too long. With the heatwave we’ve had, that’s meant cramped roots and fast-drying soil.

Still, despite the less-than-ideal conditions, they’ve managed to produce some baby tomatoes, which are ripening slowly. I planted the ‘Honeycomb’ variety, which produces smaller fruits and probably coped better in those small pots than other varieties would have.

I’ve finally planted them into a raised bed, and now that they’ve got a bit more room, I’m looking forward to my first proper harvest.

Bonus – Edible Flowers

Although I’m growing these mostly for their ornamental value, there are several flowers in the garden that happen to be edible too.

Pansies & Violas – beautiful for decorating salads. These arrived on their own through naturalistic germination, and I’m not complaining.
Cornflowers – I haven’t eaten them, but they are technically edible.

Edible plants that I will grow again… and which I won’t

The biggest lesson I’ve learned? Only grow things you actually want to eat.

I won’t be growing courgettes or beans again next year — not because they’re difficult, but because I just don’t really want to eat them. And when you’re not enjoying the harvest, the regular feeding and watering starts to feel like a chore.

Strawberries were fun, but they take up more space than I’ve got if I want a decent crop. Tomatoes are still on the fence – the flavour will decide whether they make a comeback next year. But cucumbers? I’m almost definitely giving those a go.

The blueberry bush is staying, no question.

And lesson number two? I prefer growing flowers. Sorry, but it’s the truth. That said, I still want to keep experimenting with edibles. Eating something you’ve grown yourself really is a great feeling — and there’s always room to try again next season.