Edible Landscapes

Are you interested in fresh, tasty food? Would you like to be able to go out into your yard and pick ingredients for dinner? If your answer to these questions is “yes” but you’re not ready to install a full-scale vegetable garden or berry patch, this post is for you.

Many of our customers would appreciate fresh herbs, vegetables or homegrown fruit but for various reasons they don’t want the traditional gardens for such plants. Maybe their landscape is so established that they can’t envision changes. Or perhaps they don’t want to add areas that require more maintenance. Not to worry…here are some suggestions for sneaking edible plants into the landscape.

• Plant in and among established plants. Your foundation beds, for example, could be expanded in selected sunny areas in order to place herbs in these areas. Be they perennial (long-lasting) or annual (planted every spring), herbs are attractive. Pick your sunniest foundation plantings and add these tasty plants.
• Go Vertical. Grow blackberries or runner beans on an arbor or fence. You can combine these plants with other climbers such as roses or Clematis, so you’ll get two-for-one!
• Use pots and boxes. You can grow most vegetables in containers, so think about the opportunities this presents in your landscape. Window boxes can hold herbs, lettuce, chard and the tiny varieties of tomatoes…not to mention edible flowers such as marigolds and pansies.
• Plant attractive edibles in your perennial garden. Admit it: your perennial garden contains some plants that don’t bloom for long, or present more problems than they solve. So what are you waiting for? Dump these under-achievers and use the space for green beans, summer squash or tomatoes.

You’ll never know how satisfying growing even a bit of your own food can be unless you take the plunge. We’re plant and food lovers too – let us know how we can help!