The Setup and Layout

My garden layout (from top right, clockwise):

In the large, white container, I have a tomato (Carolina Gold) plant, basil, marigolds and zinnia. Basil is said to improve growth and the flavor of tomato plants and is supposed to repel some pests, like mosquitoes, scented marigolds are supposed to repel pests (supposedly attract slugs, though), and zinnia are said to attract bees. I've yet to find any aphids on or around anything planted near marigolds, and I have seen bees attracted to the zinnia, so I guess at least some of the companion planting techniques I'm employing are working.

Below the white container, a strawberry (everbearing) plant, a bush bean plant, and thyme. Beans are supposed to fix nitrogen in the soil and thyme is said to deter cabbage worms, which may not be a huge problem in containers. I use it as an ornamental and possibly for cooking. In the clay pot, flat leaf parsley and oregano, which I'll use primarily in pasta sauces.

Opposite end of the steps, some basil seedlings that I started from one of those Triscuit box seed packets. Depending on how they do, I may thin them and plant a couple as border in the makeshift raised bed (more on that later). Up from that, in the green container, a tomato (Brandywine) plant that I started from seed, marigolds and zinnia (again with the companion planting). On top of that, in an old shipping crate I found for $5 at an antique shop, I have a mint plant. I use the leaves in herbal teas.

Beside the mint box, in the brown, plastic container: rosemary, a cucumber plant that I started from seed, and carrot seeds that have yet to show any signs of doing anything. I also crammed some nasturtium seeds in there. I may, or may not, use some kind of rosemary infusion for baths, or experiment with combining some with other herbs, like lavender, thyme, and/or mint to make a sleep pillow. Not sure about that one, though, since I don't know how to sew, yet, and I'm not sure of whether or not having my head on a bunch of herbs would really improve my sleep.

I have an 18-gallon plastic bin that was left over from my worm bin experiment. I drilled holes in the bottom and put a thin layer of gravel from the back yard on the bottom to help with drainage. The bin formerly contained green and red leaf lettuce (see previous post regarding my nasty aphid infestation), and now contains several sunflowers, chives, a cucumber plant, and carrot and radish seeds. The idea was to use the sunflowers to support a cucumber plant and provide shade for the the lettuce. I planned it poorly and found myself harvesting the lettuce while the sunflowers were still babies, so there went that theory.

Also, where the lettuce once was, I planted a couple of cloves of garlic to try the green garlic growing method. According to the authors of Bountiful Container, you harvest the plants when they form green leaves, trim away the roots, and use the entire plant before any bulbs fully form. I like to use garlic when cooking, but it sounds like it takes a long time to grow and I'd just assume buy it any time, year-round. If this works, I can still have a hint of garlic when needed, and get it quickly and easily from my own back porch.

A tomato (Brandywine) plant that I started from seed, which is doing well, along with marigolds and zinnia.

My "work" area: the green bucket is for holding water. Have to use this since there are no outside water taps. I try to use it to capture rainwater whenever possible (I'll step up to rain barrels some day). I use my kids' leftover Easter baskets for harvesting, which cost, I think, $1-$2 each, use 2 watering cans (1 for regular water, 1 for the plant food water), and use organic compost. The blue, plastic bin is the "worm house," where I have some red wigglers and Carolina red worms working on composting some of our kitchen scraps. They seem to be doing well, and I expect to be collecting some nice castings pretty soon.

Not pictured:
-sweet yellow corn x3
-tomato (Brandywine) plant in a container with nasturtium, bee balm (use it for herbal teas), zinnia, and marigolds (may be overcrowded, but everything seems to be doing okay)
-stevia (will dry out the leaves and crush them for sweetener)
-broccoli x2
-cucumber
-strawberry (everbearing) in a hanging basket with another bush bean plant
-sugar baby watermelon
-cantaloupe
-Blue Lake pole stringless bean (planted near corn for support, instead of buying a trellis or pole)
-tomato (better bush) x2

If you're starting, or already have, a container garden, might I suggest the following book. It contains a wealth of information and tips on growing herbs, fruits and vegetables in containers, including plans for themed gardens, and I wish I would have discovered and read it well before I started planning my garden.