Every winter, after the holiday lights come down and the decorations are packed away, I start dreaming about gardening again. I leaf through seed catalogs and let the girls pick out flowers they want to try this year.

This year will be calmer.
This year I’ll be better about starting seeds (and keeping them alive.)
This year I won’t overplant.
This year I will definitely remember to label things.

But in this economy, I’m also trying to be practical. So I started asking myself a different question: if I could only grow ten things, what would I choose? Not the most exciting plants or the ones I wish I were good at growing, but the ones that earn their place in our garden year after year. These are the ones we actually eat, use, preserve, and miss when they’re gone.

If I had to narrow it down, this would be my list.

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1. Peas

Peas are always the first thing I plant in spring, mostly because I’m impatient and partly because they’re magic for kids.

They’re quick, generous, and one of the few vegetables my kids will eat straight off the vine without any convincing. I love growing beautiful varieties like Magnolia Tendril Blossom: curly tendrils, delicate flowers, something soft and hopeful after winter. Peas feel like the garden officially waking up.

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2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are non-negotiable, but I don’t grow just one kind.

I always plant a few fun heirloom varieties, like Blue-Cream Berry, because gardening should include delight. But I also plant a workhorse tomato like San Marzano or another paste variety, because delight doesn’t help much when you’re trying to make sauce for dinner and the freezer.

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3. Sweet Peppers

I lean toward sweet or heatless peppers, especially my favorite: Nadapeño.

They have all the pepper flavor without the surprise, which makes them incredibly useful. We throw them into everything, eggs, tacos, soups and I never regret giving them space in the garden. This past season I had a heatless jalepeno plant that was insanely prolific. It was such a joy to share with neighbors and anyone that wanted some. I’m not kidding when I say it probably grew over 500 peppers. One plant!

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4. Beans

We eat pounds and pounds of beans every year. I buy pinto beans in big 12 pound bags from Sams’s Club. But, if I’m growing beans, I want the kind you can’t find at the grocery store.

Shelling beans with bright pink, navy blue, or red-spotted skins feel like a small act of rebellion against boring food. They’re beautiful, filling, and remind me that gardens can be practical and a little magical at the same time.

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5. Cucumbers

Fresh-eating cucumbers disappear as fast as we can pick them.

They’re crisp, refreshing, and one of those vegetables that doesn’t need much explanation. If I grow cucumbers, I know they’ll be eaten, no guilt, no waste, no persuasion required.

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6. Calendula

Calendula earns its spot because it does more than one job.

I use it for salves, toss the petals into food for color, and appreciate how cheerful it looks tucked into garden beds. It’s a reminder that not everything we grow has to end up in a bowl. (Although Calendula is also bowl-worthy)

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7. Herbs (Mostly Basil)

If I could only grow one herb, it would be basil. Thankfully, I don’t have to choose.

We go through an absurd amount of pesto, so basil is essential. Mint, thyme, sage, rosemary, and oregano are close behind, staples that make everyday meals feel more intentional. Pro tip? Dry your herbs and make a customized yearly herb blend or salt and give it away as gifts.

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8. Zinnias

Zinnias are the flower for hot weather.

They thrive when everything else looks tired, and they just keep blooming. Cut-and-come-again, endlessly colorful, and completely unapologetic. They’re the stunner of our summer garden.

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9. Cosmos

Cosmos earn their place for the same reasons as zinnias, but with a softer feel.

They’re easy, generous, and graceful, filling empty spaces and attracting pollinators without demanding attention. They make the garden feel alive.

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10. Zucchini

Zucchini is the quiet workhorse I can’t imagine skipping. My dad used to say, “Why grow zucchini, it’s pennies at the store!” Well, last summer I skipped it and guess what? It was over 75 cents per zucchini to buy at the store! I can’t justify skipping it this year when 2 or 3 seeds are literally pennies and will grow us pounds and pounds of food.

We use it constantly during the season, and then shred and freeze it for the rest of the year, adding it to pasta sauces, muffins, and just about anything that could use a vegetable boost. It’s productive to the point of comedy, but that generosity is exactly why it makes the list.

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If I could only grow ten things, these would be them, not because they’re trendy or impressive, but because they show up for us. They feed us, delight us, and fit into the rhythms of our kitchen and our year.

What would you grow?