Yellow Nasturtium (against purple Morning Glory) has edible leaves and flowers.

Sensory overload. It’s one of a garden’s most enchanting promises. And, indeed, it’s what likely contributes to a garden’s universal appeal. The vibrant colors, the delicate fragrances, the varied textures and wonderful flavors all stimulate the senses. I try to reflect each of these aspects in my small outdoor space. Here’s how I’ll introduce them:

Color: My palette — which plays off my interior color scheme — consists of yellows, greens, blues and oranges. I’m using some selections that have performed well for me in the past as a base, and trying out a few new things, as well. Petunia is low-maintenance and reliable; I’ve picked one that is technically white, but the yellow throat results in sort of a light, lemon-chiffon effect. Lisianthus provides big, beautiful blooms, and this year’s mix has dark bluish-purple, pale yellow and light green colors. A Poppy with a stalk sturdy enough to withstand Chicago’s winds will help add the red-orange zing I’m after.

Texture: My golden-colored Garden Sunflower is super plush — a positively visual texture. A new addition is the heirloom Bells of Ireland, which is a lime colored upright with sort of a clustered honeycomb look and feel (I’m attempting it from seed, so, fingers crossed…).

Fragrance: In a small space like mine I pass on the heavier scents in favor of light subtle ones: think Lavender, which I’ve ordered in plant form since a previous attempt to grow it from seed was unsuccessful. The delicately scented Moonflower, however, is another story. I drop the seeds into small pots — along with Morning Glory — set around the perimeter of my garden and in no time it snakes its way up my balcony rails. (Yes, it’s white, but it only blooms at night, and my clear net lights shining beneath give it a faint yellow glow.)

Taste: I cultivate an herb garden every season that usually includes Mint, Cilantro, Thyme, Dill, Tarragon, Rosemary and Sage in boxes and dedicate two large pots to Basil (I enjoy gifting my friends with pesto). I also love long, trailing Nasturtium, which not only provides drama but is edible, too. Marigold (I’m testing out a big red-orange one this year) and Pansy (I ordered a ruffled variety) also are edible and great for decorating cakes and cupcakes. I’ve grown Jalapeno for the last two seasons, and this year I ordered seeds for a yellow version instead of the usual green. (Besides being fragrant, Lavender does double-duty in the kitchen.) And, as you can see in the site’s masthead photo above, my cat always gets his own pot of grass to munch on.

My oft-mentioned collection of heirloom Tomatoes? That’s another story…