Neat rows of carrots. Mounds of melons. Growing your own food can be a rewarding experience. But, for most people, thinking of vegetable gardens brings to mind functional but dull square patches of lawn or rows of neatly-planted rectangular raised beds. For the design-oriented gardener, who needs a little panache, rest assured that hope is not lost.

At Rueger Riley, we understand that function doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing form, and vice versa. There are many ways to grow edibles without sacrificing aesthetics. One easy way to increase the visual appeal of your vegetable garden is to have a comprehensive, site-specific veggie garden design created. With professional and personal experience, we have created countless beautiful vegetable gardens of our own and for our clients.

We love square-foot gardening and like to design it for clients because it’s easy to maintain. With square-foot gardening, you can succeed the first year, whether you’re a novice or pro. Another benefit of this style of gardening is that it looks extremely organized, leading to yet another layer of beauty in a normally messy space.

Another way to increase visual appeal is to incorporate ornamental plants — such as colorful blooming flowers, alongside your edibles. Flowers like marigolds — with their bright, happy blooms — attract bees (particularly the single-bloom variety) and can increase pollination and improve your garden’s yield. If you aren’t starting the seeds yourself, be sure to purchase plants grown in organic conditions. It is not uncommon for plants sold at big-box stores to be treated with insecticides, which is bad for the bees and your garden. As much as marigolds attract good bugs, they can repel the bad. A marigold’s strong scent can mask the scent of your vegetables so pests, such as beetles, slugs, leafhoppers and hornworms are not attracted to it.

Another way to take your garden’s look to the next level is to incorporate permanent garden structures such as pergolas, trellises or arches. These functional items look right at home paired with climbing and blossoming edibles. A properly placed archway trellis can not only make you feel as though you are stepping into a fairytale, but also make picking beans or peas a breeze.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new to it, Rueger Riley can help you plan and execute your dream garden.