DENVER -- You can turn your front porch into a culinary garden without sacrificing color.

A number of flowers are edible and can be combined with herbs, fruits and vegetables in pots to brighten your porch.

"Choose a container that is big enough, especially if you are going to be planting stuff to harvest. You want to make sure it is a 16 inches or bigger container," said Phil Steinhauer, CEO of Colorado Designscapes Inc.

There will need to be a hole for drainage and use good soil, said Steinhauer.

Kale, lettuce, arugula and broccoli are cool season vegetables.

Herbs, strawberries, mustard greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini plants grow better during the warm season.

"Anything that is going to be a bigger, more vining type make sure you secure with a trellis before planting," said Steinhauer.

When planting Steinhauer recommends choosing items with similar light and water requirements.

"Peppers and eggplants, broccoli and squash are great for containers. And ones that you would not normally think of," said Steinhauer.

Flowers that are safe to eat, according to Steinhauer include: borage, chives, daylilies, nasturtiums, pansies, calendula, roses, violas and summer and winter squash blooms.

"If you don't know what the flower is don't eat them," said Steinhauer.

Daffodils, foxglove, lilies, morning glories, peonies, poinsettias and tulips are not safe to eat.

For more gardening tips, visit www.designscapes.org.