We don't mean that there's a need or desire to eat your flowers, but integration of food plants into your regular garden can be rather easy.

More than forty three percent of American households plan on some type of gardening this Summer, and in these tough times, who can blame them?  Besides the cost saving benefits, home grown produce can be a lot healthier and is handled by far less people, than when it its purchased in grocery stores.  Vegetables can be grown  along with flowers or other plants, or in separate patches.  They can be contained within patio pots, on a balcony, even inside on a window sill.  Even one tomato plant can produce a whole lot of tomatoes.  They do very well on patios or a fire escape and appear to be bug resistant.  Even snails never attacked the ones we've grown.

Gardeners can try mixing plants in a container, such as using an ornamental variety of a food plant, a couple of aromatherapy materials like a colorful sage or basil, and perhaps trailing verbena. If you are inexperienced with plants, it could be a safe bet to just put purchased vegetable seedlings or seeds in a separate container, as you might not want to eat something that's nasty, by mistake.   If you have a lot of materials growing, you can dry excess and they'll last quite a while.  When you go to use them in your cooking, an material grinder is a big help -- it releases the essence of the material without crushing it beyond redemption.  Never get angry with your thyme!  Now, isn't that "sage" advice.

Some flowers like pansies are edible, and if you are unsure you can reference books or a neighbor who is an expert.  Most gardeners are gregarious and friendly -- I think it's the connection to Mother Nature.  Certain vegetables love full sun, in fact, most do, but there are some that can do very well in partial shade.  Root crops can get by with about half a day of full sun, whereas lettuce and spinach grow well in a shady spot with only a couple of hours of sun.  All plants need some sunlight in order to live and grow, but some need less than others. 

Start off with a good base of potting mix and compost and choose the right time of year.  Have good drainage.  Some vegetables like a cooler climate.  These are usually the ones with the most water such as lettuce.  Wait for the frost to pass before planting anything.  Check seed packets and seedlings for guidelines, and you can even start your garden indoors with mini-greenhouses -- just make sure they are well-lit, but not in direct sun or the delicate young plants may burn. 

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