divaqs's Blog

Companion Planting for Beauty
Jun 5, 2007 | 6:57 AM PST
Tags: companion planting , chives , lavender

I’ve heard and read about companion planting for some time, though it always seems to be in the context of pest control, nutrient sharing, and disease control. While all of those things are excellent reasons, they aren’t my personal primary reason for companion planting.

Let me back up for a second and explain what companion planting is. I am not talking about gardening with your partner, companion, loved one, friend, dog, cat, or spouse, which are all wonderful things. What I am talking about is a method of organizing plants, which fits closer to how nature does things.

Oftentimes traditional American gardens and farms involve vegetables planted in nice even rows. While growing things in rows make for easier planting, watering, and harvesting, it is mainly of benefit if you are doing it via mechanical means, since tractors and machines work easier in straight lines. There is very little difference in labor if growing things through one’s own physical effort.

Companion planting breaks away from the idea of planting things in rows, and instead involves intermingling different plants together, such as flowers, herbs, and vegetables in a collage of plants co-existing with each other in a more natural way.

For me the idea of companion planting seems natural. As an edible landscaper I intuitively want to comingle edible flowers, herbs, berry plants, fruit trees, and vegetables in the same ways that ornamental plants are often grown.

Here is a current example:

To me, this looks beautiful. The only straight lines are the bamboo canes I have formed into a makeshift leaning trellis for my sugar snap peas to grow on, with the three garden towers adding variety. The peas are surrounded by chives in bloom, lavender, small ostrich ferns, and strawberries. To me, this looks much more pleasing to my eye, since it seems closer to a natural setting.

There is little wasted space as I follow intensive gardening practices, including the practices that reduce plant problems. Every year the perennials are still there, serving as companion plants to whatever vegetables or berries I choose to grow among them. My companion perennials serve as habitat for beneficial insects and deterrent to pests

Most importantly, my heart is gladdened and my stress lessened as I enjoy the beauty of my garden.