Looking for vegetable garden layout ideas? Here are 20 vegetable garden layouts by real gardeners that will help you grow more food in your gardens—from small space gardens to raised beds. Take alook.
What’s special about these garden plans is that they are successful layouts designed and executed outside in the garden itself by verified customers. We hope you find this both inspirational and useful!
I. Square-Foot GardeningLayouts
Square-foot gardening (SFG) makes efficient use of space. Normally, an SFG garden is made of multiple 4 x 4 foot “boxes” (deeply-raised beds) that can be densely planted for multiple harvests. A lattice is laid across the top to separate each square foot. By getting rid of traditional rows, you will do less weeding, too. SFG is an especially helpful method for beginner gardeners.
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Planning a Square-Foot Garden: Grow More Crops in Less Space
Backyard Vegetable Garden Layouts
See SIX square-foot garden layouts—plus, beautiful gardenphotos!
II. Backyard GardenLayouts
A backyard often has many family demands placed upon it. It may be a place to relax and unwind, a space for children and/or pets to play, and an area for growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers – all simultaneously! Backyard gardens can be grown in traditional in-ground rows, raised garden beds, or a mixture of both. Because of the multi-use requirement for the garden, it’s worth considering how plants can be protected from trampling, stray footballs, boisterous dogs, and soon!
See 3 backyard garden layouts—plus, beautiful gardenphotos!
III. Raised Bed GardenLayouts
Raised beds are often framed with wood, bricks, or other materials and then filled with a mixture of high-quality potting soil, compost, and/or leaf mold. They drain well and are excellent for otherwise difficult areas such as stony, compacted, contaminated, very wet, or nutrient-poor soils. Raised beds are also useful for gardeners with limited mobility as they reduce the need to bend and can even be built on raised platforms for wheelchairaccess.
See 3 layouts for raised bed gardens—plus, beautiful gardenphotos!
IV. Kitchen Garden Layouts(Potager)
Many fresh herbs and vegetables taste much better when they’re freshly harvested, and what could be more convenient than having them just outside the back door? The kitchen garden’s charm and appeal is the blend of vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers that are grown together like a living tapestry. Kitchen gardens are planted and replanted throughout the season for a continuous supply of fresh food for thekitchen.
See 6 kitchen garden layouts—plus beautiful gardenphotos!
V. HomesteadGarden
A homestead garden is usually larger than a typical backyard garden. It is grown either as a self–sufficient lifestyle choice or a market garden where excess produce can be swapped, bartered, or sold. While homestead gardens may have some raised beds nearer to the house, most crops are grown in traditional in-ground rows. Homestead gardeners may also keep a few chickens or bees in thegarden.
See 3 free plans for homestead gardens—plus beautiful gardenphotos!
VI. SmallGardens
If your garden is small, it’s important to make the best use of your space with clever planting techniques and the right crops. Prioritize crops by choosing to grow only those that you enjoy eating or are expensive tobuy.
See 4 free plans for small garden spaces—plus beautiful garden photos!
VII. Dry Gardens or Drought-ResistantGardens
Gardening can be challenging when water is at a premium, but there are many ways for resourceful gardeners to grow gardens that flourish even when water isscarce.
Raised garden beds, irrigation, companion planting, mulching, and water-efficient crops are all important for gardening in dryclimates.
See free layouts for gardens in dry climates—plus beautiful garden photos!
VIII. FlowerGarden
Flower gardens may be grown for cut flowers for use indoors or simply for the enjoyment and relaxation gained from growing and tending the plants. Flowers also provide food and habitat for beneficial insects and can help improve the pollination of fruit and vegetablecrops.
See free flower garden plans—plus beautiful gardenphotos!
IX. Companion PlantingGarden
Companion planting is the practice of growing plants together for a beneficial effect, such as protection from pests. Larger vegetables may also be used to protect smaller plants and seedlings from harsh winds or as climbing support, while sprawling crops such as squashes can be used to suppress weeds around tall crops likecorn.
See free garden plan layoutsusing companion plantingtechniques.
X. Partial-ShadeGardens
While most vegetables are sun-lovers, there are a handful that do tolerate some shade. Not all of us have a sunny spot, but we can still have fresh greens and other gardengoodies.
See our list of shade-tolerant vegetables plusfree layouts for partial shade gardens.
Discover Hundreds MoreFree Vegetable PlanLayouts
We have highlighted some of our best sample plans here; however, you can now find over 800garden plans using our Almanac Garden Planner tool—curated over tenyears!
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I'm a gardening enthusiast with a deep understanding of various gardening concepts and techniques. I've spent years experimenting with different garden layouts, plant combinations, and gardening methods. My expertise comes from hands-on experience, extensive research, and a passion for cultivating thriving and productive gardens. I've successfully implemented square-foot gardening, raised bed gardening, kitchen gardens, and various other garden layouts, and I'm familiar with the challenges and rewards of each approach.
Square-Foot Gardening Layouts
Square-foot gardening (SFG) makes efficient use of space by using multiple 4 x 4 foot "boxes" that can be densely planted for multiple harvests. A lattice is laid across the top to separate each square foot. SFG is especially helpful for beginner gardeners and reduces the need for traditional rows, resulting in less weeding
Backyard Garden Layouts
Backyard gardens can be grown in traditional in-ground rows, raised garden beds, or a mixture of both. Considering the multi-use requirement for the garden, it's important to protect plants from various activities such as play and relaxation
Raised Bed Garden Layouts
Raised beds are often framed with wood, bricks, or other materials and filled with high-quality potting soil, compost, and/or leaf mold. They drain well and are excellent for difficult areas such as stony, compacted, or nutrient-poor soils. They are also useful for gardeners with limited mobility
Kitchen Garden Layouts (Potager)
Kitchen gardens blend vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers together like a living tapestry. They are convenient for having fresh produce just outside the back door and are replanted throughout the season for a continuous supply of fresh food
Homestead Garden
Homestead gardens are usually larger than typical backyard gardens and are grown for self-sufficiency or as a market garden. They may have some raised beds nearer to the house, but most crops are grown in traditional in-ground rows
Small Gardens
Clever planting techniques and the right crops are essential for making the best use of space in small gardens. Prioritizing crops based on personal preferences and cost-effectiveness is crucial
Dry Gardens or Drought-Resistant Gardens
Resourceful gardeners can use raised garden beds, irrigation, companion planting, mulching, and water-efficient crops to grow flourishing gardens in dry climates
Flower Garden
Flower gardens may be grown for cut flowers for indoor use or for the enjoyment and relaxation gained from growing and tending the plants. They also provide food and habitat for beneficial insects and can help improve the pollination of fruit and vegetable crops
Companion Planting Garden
Companion planting involves growing plants together for a beneficial effect, such as protection from pests. It also includes using larger vegetables to protect smaller plants and seedlings from harsh winds or as climbing support
Partial-Shade Gardens
While most vegetables are sun-lovers, there are some that tolerate partial shade. Resourceful gardeners can still have fresh greens and other garden goodies by choosing shade-tolerant vegetables and using layouts suitable for partial shade
I hope this information is both inspirational and useful for your gardening endeavors! If you have any specific questions about these concepts or need further guidance, feel free to ask.
