In the May/June 2010 issue of Gardening How-To, author Weldon Burge described how to grow vegetables vertically—on trellises, obelisks, and other upright structures—to save space in the garden. Some veggies are more suited to vertical gardening than others, because of small fruit size or a tendency to vine and twine. Try these favorites for a beautiful vegetable garden that grows up, not out.

Beans:
   • ‘Hilda Romano’—Stringless, flat Italian beans up to 12 inches long; disease-resistant plants
   • ‘Blue Lake S-7 Stringless’—An improved Blue Lake pole bean, with vines up to 7 feet
   • ‘Rattlesnake Snap’—Flavorful green pods streaked with purple; plants grow to 10 feet
   • ‘Yard Long’—Asian variety also called ‘Asparagus Bean’; pods grow up to 2 feet long, but tastiest when about 12 inches long; heavy vines need strong support

Cucumber:
   • ‘Palace King’—Asian slicing cucumber; sweet fruits are 12 inches long with distinct ribs 
   • ‘Summer Dance’—Japanese burpless variety with 9-inch cukes; disease resistant

Melons:
   • ‘Yellow Baby’—All-America Selections winner; 10-pound watermelons with yellow-fleshed fruits

Peas:
   • ‘Green Arrow’—Superb, prolific shelling peas on 3- to 4-foot vines
   • ‘Mammoth Melting Sugar’—High-yielding snow pea; produces large, flat pods on 4-foot vines

Tomatoes:
   • ‘Sweet Million’—Hybrid cherry tomato with super-sweet, dark red fruits
   • ‘Juliet’—All-America Selections winner; first elongated grape tomato variety resistant to cracking
   • ‘Lemon Boy’—Lemon-yellow, mild-flavored tomatoes that look great on a trellis