The Container Kitchen Garden

The Container Kitchen Garden from Claus Dalby—hailed as the “Scandinavian Martha Stewart”—invites you to transform even the smallest space into a stunning, bountiful edible garden in pots.

In this inspiring and visually stunning guide, celebrated plantsman and designer Claus Dalby (@clausdalby) shares the beauty and bounty of cultivating vegetables, herbs, and fruits in containers. With his signature eye for color, texture, and form, Dalby elevates food gardening into an art form—proving that practical, productive gardening can also be beautiful. Whether you have a small city balcony, a sunny terrace, or a sprawling patio, you’ll discover how to grow your own flavorful produce while creating an inviting outdoor space that expresses your unique style.

Inside The Container Kitchen Garden, you’ll find:

Design inspiration from Claus Dalby’s own gardens, featuring more than 300 breathtaking images that blend edible plants with ornamental beauty.Step-by-step guidance on choosing containers, soil, and plant combinations for maximum growth, health, and visual appeal.Creative container combinations that pair vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers in unexpected, stunning ways.Expert tips for year-round success, including how to move pots for light, control soil conditions, and simplify maintenance.Motivation to garden anywhere, proving that limited space is no barrier to growing fresh, delicious food.
With Dalby’s expert advice and artistic sensibility, The Container Kitchen Garden turns the simple act of growing in pots into a joyful, transformative experience—one that nourishes both the body and the creative spirit.

Also by Claus Dalby: Containers in the Garden and The Cottage Garden

Praise for Containers in the Garden:

“Claus Dalby is the Monet of container gardening. His use of color, texture, and composition in creating his potted gardens is simply brilliant.”
―Linda Vater, garden stylist and author of The Elegant & Edible Garden

“No one does containers quite like Claus Dalby. His displays are always beautifully color coordinated and immaculately maintained – a photographer’s dream.”
―Clive Nichols, garden and flower photographer

“Claus has been a constant source of inspiration for me, and I love seeing what he’s up to next. This book is one of the best I’ve seen on container gardening and is packed with stunning displays of texture and color.”
―Erin Benzakein, Floret Flower Farm

Praise for The Cottage Garden:

“With his unerring eye for color, texture and composition, the ‘king of containers’ turns his camera and pen to the beauty and romance of cottage gardens around the globe.”
―Clive Nichols, garden and flower photographer

“This is a book to treasure!  […] Packed with ideas for all gardening enthusiasts, The Cottage Garden is an essential addition to our libraries.”
―Jenny Rose-Innes, interior and garden designer, author of Australian Designers at Home

“This sumptuous coffee-table book by gardener Dalby (Containers in the Garden) showcases some of the choicest cottage gardens in the U.S. and Europe. Garden lovers will be enchanted.”
―Publishers Weekly

“...gloriously photographed...will inspire those aiming to create chocolate-box beauty in their own patch.”    
―The Sunday Times