Salad Garden

Get your greens in with a salad garden, which is easy to maintain and provides you with abundant fresh vegetables.

“By planting multiple varieties of loose-leaf lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula, and Swiss chard, you can enjoy fresh salads daily,” says Sara Rubens, a certified garden coach and founder of Seed to Sanctuary. “Plus, growing your own greens saves money and eliminates the need to buy expensive organic produce.”

Polyculture Planting

Like companion planting, polyculture planting is another way to make the most of your raised garden beds. However, instead of having tidy rows of carrots, lettuce, or other vegetables, you can mimic how those crops grow in a forest.

“Last week, I mixed seeds of arugula, spinach, lettuce, carrots, radishes, beets, chives, calendula, marigolds, parsnips, and parsley in a large bowl,” says Natalie Crist, a New York Botanical Garden-certified sustainable garden designer. “After adding a thick layer of compost to the garden bed, I broadcast the seed mixture generously over the surface, covered with a light layer of soil, and watered deeply.”

The resulting garden bed will continue to produce all season, Crist notes. “Like people, plants are happiest in cooperative communities,” she adds.

Herbal Tea Bed

If you’re a tea aficionado, then you know that an herbal garden bed is the perfect way to concoct personal, unique blends. Crist is in the process of creating one for her client. “I plan to include pineapple sage, echinacea, lemon verbena, chamomile, stevia, calendula, anise hyssop, fenugreek, and passiflora,” she says.

Crist suggests potting members of the mint family nearby so they don’t take over and crowd out the other plants. “I’m looking forward to drying the herbs and storing them so the client has a ready supply of herbal tea all winter,” she says.

Window Box Herb Garden

Window boxes are a creative take on raised bed gardening, and they’re perfect for small spaces.

“Mounted just outside your kitchen window, this compact garden allows you to simply reach out and snip fresh herbs as you cook—no need to step outside!” says Linda Vater, garden designer and writer. “It’s the ultimate ‘grab and go’ solution, perfect for avid gardeners and busy cooks who love the convenience of fresh herbs within arm’s reach.”

As a bonus, herbs like lavender and rosemary will imbue your space with a pleasant fragrance, Vater adds.

Companion Plant Tomatoes and Lettuce

Companion planting is a smart way to maximize space and improve soil health in raised garden beds—plus, certain vegetables make for the perfect pair.

“I love the idea of growing tomatoes trellised up with lettuce as a companion plant underneath,” says Paul Dysinger, co-founder of the gardening app Seedtime. “This helps use the raised bed space efficiently while companion planting some great crops.”

He notes that you can add radishes or carrots to make a salad garden that goes beyond your usual greens. 

Herb Border

Adding an herb border around your raised vegetable bed offers a slew of practical and aesthetic benefits.

“Herbs like lavender and oregano not only attract beneficial pollinators and help deter pests, but they also create a lush, naturalistic feel that softens the hard lines of wood or steel,” says Crist. “You can plant them directly in the raised bed or in the soil around its base, creating a beautiful, fragrant transition between your culinary garden and the rest of your landscape.”

Rubens also likes to plant chives and thyme along the borders of her raised beds to act as a natural pest barrier.

Rosemary With Vegetables

Rosemary thrives in similar conditions to many vegetables, so it’s a great companion plant. Plus, it repels pests like bean beetles, mosquitoes, carrot flies, and cabbage loopers, according to Rubens.

“Strategically plant rosemary near brassicas, carrots, beans, onions, and strawberries to create a healthier and more productive garden,” says Crist.

Edible Flowers at the Edges

Like herbs, there are plenty of ornamental (and still edible) blooms you can grow at the edges of your raised vegetable garden bed. Rubens, for example, likes to plant fragrant flowers like marigolds, which also act as a pest repellant.

“I have a friend who puts nasturtiums on the edge of her raised beds and it looks beautiful, as the flowers spill out over the sides—and add a lot of vibrance,” says Dysinger.

Lavender With Dry-Loving Vegetables

Lavender is a great companion plant to use with vegetable gardens, as its strong floral scent attracts beneficial pollinators, while deterring harmful insects. However, Vater notes that lavender prefers dry, well-drained conditions, which may not suit all vegetables. “Plants with compatible care requirements include brassicas, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant,” she says.

Pizza Garden

If you have a favorite cuisine or dish, you can always use it as inspiration for your raised garden bed.

“Designing your kitchen garden around a theme is both fun and rewarding, providing fresh, delicious flavors right outside your door,” Rubens notes.
“How about a pizza garden with basil, oregano, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic?”