Gardening expert shares overlooked method that makes food gardens look like flower gardens

Vegetable gardens are often framed as practical spaces rather than beautiful ones.

Gardening author and content creator Huw Richards (@HuwRichards) argues that they can be both.

What happened?

In a recent video shared on YouTube, Richards gave viewers a first look at "Edimentals," his book about mixing food crops with ornamental-style planting.

Rather than separating appearance from usefulness, Richards said the book was partly inspired by a remark he never forgot: "Oh, I don't like to grow vegetables cuz um I like a pretty garden." 

He said that comment led him to spotlight "a whole category of pretty edible things you can grow. They're called edible ornamentals."

As he flipped through the book on camera, Richards described its purpose this way: "All I want for this book is to help more people kind of get the bug for growing, whatever they want to grow, but you might as well start with the plants that give you food, give you beauty, help wildlife, and then you can kind of take it from there."

One commenter wrote, "Edimental Gardening is my preferred method also. I plant my garden so everything looks like floral arrangements. Beautiful Book!"

Why does it matter?

Gardening can deliver several benefits at once.

Growing food at home can help households save money on produce, especially herbs, greens, berries, and other crops that are expensive at the store. Many gardeners also say homegrown food tastes better because it can be harvested at peak freshness.

There are health benefits, too. Gardening can offer light exercise, time outdoors, and stress relief, all of which can support both physical and mental well-being.

When edible plants are incorporated into flower beds or front-yard landscaping, they can also make growing food feel more accessible to people who might otherwise assume a vegetable patch is too plain or too much work.

Richards also pointed to another advantage: helping wildlife. Diverse gardens filled with flowering edibles can support pollinators and create more vibrant backyard ecosystems while still producing food for the kitchen.

Edimental gardening treats the yard as something that can be productive, beautiful, and beneficial all at once.

What can I do?

Richards' approach does not require gardeners to choose between curb appeal and usefulness. A few well-placed edible plants can make a space more beautiful while also supplying ingredients for meals.

Another commenter captured that balance well: "This morning, before it hit 100F, my husband and I were sitting outside admiring our lovely garden full of flowers and veggies, strawberries, and lovely leafy green things."

As Richards put it, "You might as well start with the plants that give you food, give you beauty, help wildlife."

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