Swap your hedge for veg for a garden with a difference

Michelle Obama is doing it in the White House, even Jamie Oliver is at it, so get on board with the hottest garden trend for summer 09 and swap your rose bushes for lettuces for a credit conscious garden that is beautiful from your garden gate to your plate.

With new research by Grant’s Whisky showing a third of us are growing our own fruit and veg this year (increase 60% YOY) but with only 22% confining them to a veg patch and a further 43% to our plate, it seems more and more of us are celebrating veg not just for their great taste but for their incredible beauty too.

TV presenter and award winning gardener Chris Beardshaw couldn’t agree more, “Edible plants are every bit as beautiful and intricate as flowering plants and can create a visual feast for the eyes. Look to include plants such as Chard, Nasturtiums, Lollo Rosso, Bull's Blood and flowering peas into your beds and borders to add striking colour and form but that also provide something home grown for the kitchen.”

Chris’ tips on fruit and veg to grow and bring to the table to impress your guests with this summer:

Tomato hanging plants – for a new take on the traditional hanging basket grow tumbling tomato plants in hanging baskets. Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes, the fruit a can be red yellow, orange, purple, and green. If you have more space try growing some of the heritage varieties as these fantastic shapes, sizes and colours will become a real talking point

Strawberry plants – if space is a premium and for original table decorations try planting strawberries in all tea cups and other kitchen containers such as colanders

Rainbow chard – will add wonderful colour to both your garden as it grows and also to the table. For an unusual centrepiece pick one rose and surround by rainbow chard leaves in see through glass.

Herbs – pick and place a selection of herbs in small vases. They will look great, smell beautiful and also allow guests to season their own salads and even cocktails!

Runner beans and roses – for a beautiful centre piece with a difference place freshly picked runner beans around roses in see through large vase

Courgettes - not only are these plants fast growing but they have some of the brightest yellow blooms of summer. Try growing them on the top of your compost heap as these hungry fellows will like the extra rich compost and your compost heap will look beautiful all summer long.

Cabbage (Marabel, Noelle, Marshalls, January King) – as its name suggests The January King cabbage is extremely hardy surviving even the severest of frosts. Its conifer-blue colour leaf stands out in low light levels - grown in a group it will bring some well needed structure to the border even in the depths of winter.

Cordon apples (grown on dwarf stems) - if you don’t have room for a large apple tree in your garden cordons are the ideal space saving solution and you can grow several different varieties in a restricted space. Be patient as you will not normally be able to obtain top yields until your plant is 4-7 years old.

Sunflowers – The bright yellow flowers of sunflowers bring joy to anyone who sees them and planted at towards the back of the border they bring an architectural quality. Allow them to set seed and not only will the birds appreciate the tasty treat but they offer an ideal home for small invertebrates which hedgehogs and other small mammals feed on during the autumn and winter months.

Nasturtiums – these hot colourful flowers will fill in a gap in any border, but grown up an arch or encouraged to cascade over a wall their bright flowers will really pack a punch. Nasturtiums are sun-lovers and they need bright conditions with a soil that doesn’t dry out. Pick the flowers and add them to your summer salad bowl to really brighten up the centre of your table.

Black Hungarian Pepper - The Black Hungarian Chilli Pepper is one of the most ornamental of all the chilli peppers the green foliage is highlighted by purple veins, producing delicate purple flowers. The fruits are a shiny black ripening to red. Once the weather is warm enough plants can be placed in pots in a warm south facing spot where their fruits can be admired and marvelled at. Feed once a week with a high potash fertiliser such as tomato food.

And after all that hard work why not sit back and admire your glorious handiwork and try a different angle on summertime drinks with one of Grant’s Whisky deliciously refreshing cocktails? Try the below using your home grown fruit and herbs for a beautiful array of drinks for all occasions.

Grant’s Sand Dance is the ideal summer pitcher, with refreshing Cranberry juice, cherry brandy and cherries on the top, it’s ideal for all your social gatherings. Enjoy a summer’s evening with a Grant’s Redfire that’s sure to keep the temperature rising and if you happen to have grown sage in your garden, use it to garnish, adding a surprising twist to your cocktail.

For something fresh and fruity why not mix up a Grant’s Fruit of the Glen, using fresh blackcurrants from your garden will really enhance the flavours of the whisky. Visit grantswhisky.com/gardenafterhours for more information and tips from Chris about creating a garden with a difference.

Cocktails:

Sand Dance – The Summer Pitcher

6 shots* Grant’s Family Reserve Whisky
9 shots De Kuyper Cherry Brandy
25 shots Cranberry Juice
Maraschino Cherries (for serving)

Half fill a serving glass with cubed ice. Build the ingredients in the pitcher in order and stir well. Serve into glasses and garnish with a cherry if desired.

Redfire

2 shots Grant’s Family Reserve Whisky
Dash of De Kuyper Cherry Brandy
10ml tonic water
Garnish with a sage leaf

Fill a highball glass with crushed ice. Add the Grant’s Family Reserve. Top up with tonic water. Drizzle the De Kuyper Cherry Brandy over the top. Garnish with 1 fresh sage leaf (optional).

Fruit of the Glen

1 shot Grant’s Family Reserve Whisky
1 shot De Kuyper Crème de Cassis
Top up with Cranberry juice
Fresh blackcurrants or cranberries to garnish

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a highball glass half filled with ice. Fill almost to the brim. Garnish with fresh blackcurrants or cranberries.

The Grant’s Family Reserve Whisky is priced from £13.84 and is available at all leading supermarkets and off licenses.

*1 shot equals 25ml