What should I expect?

The addition of flowers to your veg patch or vegetables, herbs and fruit to your beds and borders will not only change their appearance but it will also improve the health of your plants and extend the usefulness of your garden. Remember that when an edible crop is harvested a gap will appear, so work out a successional plan – planting spring-flowering bulbs in late summer and early autumn in the spaces vacated by vegetables, for instance. The planting should be flexible, so that different crops – and flowers – are grown in different places each year, except for perennial fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, apples and pears. Good light and well-nourished soil (enriched with well-rotted garden compost or manure in winter) will ensure all your plants remain healthy.