10 Benefits of ‘Edimental’ Planting

Edimental planting is all about blending edible and ornamental planting to create a combination that is both beautiful and functional. It incorporates a wide variety of productive plants - including fruit, veg, herbs, edible flowers, and medicinal plants - into one harmonious, thriving garden.

It’s a style of gardening that is well loved by those who embrace it because it has so many things to recommend it, fundamentally that it contributes to a beautiful garden, one that is beneficial to your physical health, your mental health, and the health of the ecosystem. Plus, you’re never too far from a quick snack!

My mixed edible and ornamental planting at RHS Tatton Park 2022 ft. Tomatillos, Sage, Chilli Peppers, Amaranthus and Fennel ©Emma Tamsin Tipping Photography: Kat Weatherill

A Brief History

As modern as it sounds, edimental planting has been part and parcel of traditional cottage gardening since at least the 16th century. The key aspect of the cottage garden is that it was always intended to be practical - it was crucial that it would be able to provide for the household. The beauty of the garden was often a by-product of it’s functionality, blending food, medicine, and beauty seamlessly. It was simple and sensible.

This style of gardening is also an inherent feature of permaculture, a design philosophy and ecological approach to gardening that developed in the 1970’s and advocates sustainable and self-sufficient ecosystems by mimicking natural processes. In permaculture, the concept of “stacking function” is key": each plant should ideally serve more than one purpose, whether it’s providing food, shelter, medicine, or aesthetic value. This principle naturally supports that integration of edible and ornamental plants into the same space.

In this planting: Tomato, Basil, Parsley, and Chilli peppers, Tagetes, Coreopsis, Perovskia, Achillea, Anemanthele and Echinacea ©Emma Tamsin Tipping Photography: Kat Weatherill

Why It’s On Trend

For many if not the majority of us, especially those living in cities, daily life is often characterised by limited space, an over-reliance on processed food, and hours spent staring at screens (but thank you for reading). While gardening trends of the past, like tulipmania and growing pineapples in hothouses, were tied to the extravagances of wealth and excess, we are now much more concerned with addressing social issues like mental health, a sense of disconnection and loneliness, and environmental concerns surrounding climate change and the overconsumption of resources. With so much to be concerned about, edimental planting is a great way to help counteract these problems on an individual and local scale, without it creating an unmanageable workload that makes more traditional allotment growing unrealistic for many of us.

Herbs on my Gold-medal winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show Balcony ft. Thyme, Oregano and Mint ©Emma Tamsin Tipping Photography: Julie Skelton

10 Benefits of Edimental Planting

1. Lower Maintenance:
   The combination of edibles with ornamentals can create a self-sustaining system that requires less upkeep. Opting for plants that are resilient, drought-tolerant, or perennial will mean that they require less frequent replanting and watering.

2. Pest Control:
   Plant diversity naturally attracts beneficial insects (pollinators and predators) that help control pests naturally, meaning no (or at least less) intervention is required. Incorporate sacrificial plants, like nasturtiums, that will attract pests and distract them from your more precious plants.

3. Maximises Space:
   Make the most of small spaces by combining food production with aesthetic value. If you live in an urban area with a small garden or balcony you’d be amazed at how much you can grow in containers.

4. Biodiversity:
   A broader range of planting can support a wider range of wildlife, from beneficial insects to birds. This helps to create a stable ecosystem and improves the health of your soil meaning even better yields.

5. Increased Resilience:
   Diversity breads resilience. Species can support each other and are less vulnerable to disease which can spread easily through monocultures (as we’ve unfortunately seen in many gardens with box blight).

6. Promotes Mental and Physical Well-being:
   Edimental gardens are full of colour, and texture, and life. All of theses elements have a positive effect on our mental health by creating a calming and rewarding environment. We benefit from watching birds and other wildlife and the sense of anticipation as we patiently watch our plants grow. This is particularly good for kids and gets them to eat a wide range of nutritious foods!

7. Increased Food Stability:
   Growing your own gives you access to fresh produce and reduces your reliance on the industrial food system. This means you can ensure your food hasn’t been sprayed with any chemicals and hasn’t travelled thousands of miles to get to you.

8. Sensory Experience:
   A range of textures, colours, and seasonal changes engage all of our senses, not just sight. We are able to feel the different textures and harvest the plants, smell the incredible fragrances, hear the happy birds, and taste the delicious produce you’ve grown.

9. Aesthetic Appeal:
   Understandably, most of us want our gardens to look good. Blending food & flowers creates a visually dynamic space that is never boring. It can also be adapted and tweaked to suit different styles so if you prefer to stick to a more selective colour palette or a more formal structure you can still incorporate edimentals.

10. Cost-effective:
    Growing your own food allows you to save money on produce and edimental gardens can be less costly to maintain than those that are strictly one or the other as they require fewer inputs.

A photo of me, having an excellent time with some Moroccan Mint (tip: if you’re planting mint it needs it’s own space and for the roots to be restricted otherwise it’ll take over!) ©Emma Tamsin Tipping Photography: Natalie Chiverton

Create Your Own!

Hopefully you’re feeling inspired to give edimental planting a go. If you have any questions please feel to get in touch via email at emma@emmatamsintipping.co.uk or instagram @emmatamsintipping.

If you’re looking for more comprehensive or tailored advice on how to incorporate edimental planting into your life and garden, I offer an hour-long video call with me (link here) where we can discuss your specific requirements and plant accordingly.

Happy planting!