Edible Plant Combinations for Mini Starter Gardens

Want to try growing veggies and other edible plants but don’t know where to start? Container gardens are the perfect way to test the waters and learn the basics without making a huge startup investment. If you aren’t sure which plants to grow, we have some creative ideas for small edible gardens that we think you’ll really enjoy!

Try These Clever Edible Plant Combos for Your First Gardening Project

From veggies to herbs and even edible flowers, there are so many tasty things you can grow in containers! However, not all plants are compatible, so to save you the guesswork, we created these themed container garden combos featuring three plants each. Place them in a large container or a small, raised garden bed—you’ll be growing like a pro in no time!

The Garnish Mix

Making things look pretty is a satisfying way to perk up your day! If you’re having a tough day, making a beautiful meal and taking care of all the little details is a surprisingly satisfying practice. Even a simple salad or a scoop of ice cream feels special when you add some extra flourishes!

Pansies and Violas: Believe it or not, these gorgeous flowers are edible! We love floating a single pansy in a fancy cocktail, sprinkling them onto salads, topping frosted cupcakes, or jazzing up a charcuterie board spread.

Parsley: This crisp, classic herb is perfect for garnishing a wide variety of savory dishes, and you can use it to make tabbouleh salads on the side!

Chives: We love the subtle, delicate onion flavor of chives! Not only are the green stems edible, but their pretty purple petals are, too! Sprinkle them on baked potatoes or mix them into garlic butter to make fancy garlic bread.

Your Vitamin C Fix

We often think of oranges as our go-to snack for getting our daily fix of Vitamin C, but plenty of other tasty edible plants are packed with this powerful nutrient! It’s essential for helping wounds heal, producing collagen to keep our skin and hair looking healthy, and to boost immunity. If you need more Vitamin C in your diet, this container garden combo is definitely worth trying.

Mini Sweet Peppers: These crunchy, versatile veggies have even more Vitamin C than oranges, but the yellow varieties have the highest amount compared to any other peppers!

Bush Tomatoes: A small, determinate tomato plant is easy to grow in a container with minimal staking or supports. Just keep in mind that determinate tomatoes produce their fruits all at once!

Thyme: You might be surprised to hear it, but thyme has three times the Vitamin C of oranges! Add this fragrant, savory herb into soups, roast meat, and vegetable dishes for an easy and delicious health supplement.

Tea Plants

Make soothing herbal teas out of the edible plants in your container garden! They also have powerful medicinal properties, so they make fantastic health supplements.

Lavender: The fragrant petals of this aromatherapy herb are totally edible! Brew them into a soothing homemade sleepy time tea.

Lemon balm: The citrusy zing of lemon balm tea is so tasty—especially when it’s iced! It’s a great way to ease stomach pain and indigestion.

Echinacea: These beautiful flowers—beloved by bees and butterflies—are the same plant you find in natural cough drops! Brew the petals, leaves, and roots into teas to soothe sore, scratchy throats.

Hydration Station

Do you struggle to get your 8 cups of water per day? Add more veggies to your diet! These garden edibles contain over 90% water. Yes—you read that right!

Radishes: These spicy little root veggies are 95% water and only need 30–45 days to mature, so you can keep harvesting and replanting them while your other edible plants continue to grow.

Spinach: Popeye’s favorite veggie is 93% water! Once mature, harvest a little bit every few days as it continues to grow.

Mini cucumbers: Topping the list with 96% water is mini cucumbers! They grow on vines that you can train up a trellis, which can help provide some shade for your radishes and spinach during hot weather.

Searching for edible garden plants in Orange County? Find all these plants and more by visiting Roger’s Gardens in California! Browse our blog or talk to our in-store experts to learn more about planting your first edible garden.

For more information, view How to Prep Your Garden for Fall Vegetable Plantings, and Cool Season Vegetable Gardening.