I was going through some projects and visiting a few clients at the start of February. I always do this around then because spring kicks off properly in March.
Visiting one of them – which I call the red house because of the brick colour …… i went straight to check on one of their main requests.
They wanted a little growing space, proper small (about 8ft by 2ft), tucked between two flower beds for a mini veg patch.
And there it was
all set and ready for a new season of growth! I love seeing things like this, and honestly, more people should give it a go.
There’s something special about picking your own food – no one complains about that! Chatting with them, they told me they’d already grown (and harvested!):
- Salad leaves (rocket and mixed lettuce) – Quick-growing, low-maintenance, and they look great mixed in with flowers.
- Spring onions – Perfect for slotting into little gaps and ridiculously easy to grow.
- Radishes – These shoot up fast! You could be pulling them up in just a few weeks.
- Carrots – Smaller varieties like Parisian or Chantenay are great for compact spaces.
- Strawberries – (What??????) Perfect for pots, borders, or even hanging baskets. They add a lovely touch to a cosy, cottage-style garden.
They always mix these up with a few types of potatoes, like:
- First earlies (Swift or Rocket) – Grow fast and can be dug up by early summer.
- Second earlies (Charlotte) – A bit later, but still ready before the end of summer.
- Maincrop (King Edward or Maris Piper) – Take longer but give you bigger spuds that store well.
One thing to watch out for is timing and making sure you’re planting veg that play nicely together, rather than fighting for space or nutrients.
At mine, I’ve got chamomile and basil tucked into a sunny spot, but I think it’s time for an upgrade………maybe a few new additions this year.
And yes, this little veg patch was inspired by the red house…their project sort of became mine too… and maybe yours, if you haven’t started one yet!
