How To Structure Your Vegetable Garden Like Ina Garten For Maximum Efficiency

Perhaps surprising no one, when the Barefoot Contessa is at her East Hampton home, "Ina Garten" is often "In A Garden." To her  Instagram fans, the expertly-planned garden on Garten's sprawling New York estate is the stuff of legend. Photos of her vegetable and flower beds inspire and excite, framed by  and Planning and structure are the key to Garten's famous edible garden — and it's all about the grid pattern and dense companion planting. 

 Gardeners can reach their produce from all angles, which can be especially helpful for tinier, harder to reach jewels like cherry tomatoes and strawberries. Produce and herbs from have been pictured in Garten's photos of her garden. After a harvest, foodies can showcase their fresh, home-grown haul with a garden art vegetable focaccia.

Not only are Garten's vegetable garden beds square-shaped and gravel-surrounded, they're With a little foresight, companion planting can be a natural way to enrich soil health and maximize bed space. Peppering in a few flowers transforms practical vegetable plots into a beautiful, colorful masterpiece. Aromatic herbs naturally repel harmful pests, and can form an effective barrier if planted around the perimeter of those beds. To companion plant successfully, be sure to opt for plants that thrive in the same soil and sunlight conditions. For instance, basil and marigolds make terrific companion plants for tomatoes. But, gardeners should avoid planting basil and rosemary together at all costs.

With a penchant for practicality on the forefront, foodies can build an edible garden that's as enjoyable as it is useful. As Garten recently shared in an Instagram post, below a series of photos of her home garden, "Most of the herbs and vegetables are just getting started, but the spring flowers are going crazy. Enjoying them while they last!"