Grounded advice on growing your own vegetables

At this particular time of the year my thoughts turn to the glories of the kitchen garden and I wonder if, in these days of designer dominated gardening, our energies aren’t somewhat misplaced?
When I look around and see the beauty and satisfaction of a well-managed kitchen garden my attempts at ornamental gardening pales into insignificance. But perhaps I just find the skills displayed in the growing of fruit and vegetables more enviable than the ability to mix flower colour and leaf texture.