Edible Landscaping: Beautiful Gardens That Feed You
Transform your landscape into a beautiful, productive space that provides both aesthetic appeal and fresh, homegrown food.
What is Edible Landscaping?
Edible landscaping combines the beauty of ornamental gardening with the productivity of food gardening. By integrating edible plants into your landscape design, you can create stunning outdoor spaces that provide fresh, nutritious food while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
Benefits of Edible Landscaping
Dual Purpose: Enjoy both beauty and productivity from the same plants and spaces.
Space Efficiency: Maximize your property's potential by growing food in all available areas.
Cost Savings: Reduce grocery bills while increasing property value.
Environmental Benefits: Reduce food miles, chemical use, and packaging waste.
Educational Value: Teach children and adults about food production and healthy eating.
Design Principles
Layered Planting: Use vertical space with trees, shrubs, and groundcovers for maximum productivity.
Seasonal Interest: Select plants that provide beauty throughout multiple seasons.
Color and Texture: Choose edible plants with attractive foliage, flowers, and fruits.
Functional Beauty: Design spaces that are both productive and visually appealing.
Ornamental Edibles
Fruit Trees: Apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees provide spring flowers, summer shade, and fall harvests.
Berry Bushes: Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries offer beautiful foliage and delicious fruits.
Herbs: Lavender, rosemary, sage, and thyme provide fragrance, flowers, and culinary uses.
Edible Flowers: Nasturtiums, pansies, and calendula add color and flavor to salads and dishes.
Vegetable Varieties: Choose attractive varieties like purple kale, rainbow chard, and ornamental peppers.
Front Yard Edible Gardens
Foundation Plantings: Replace traditional shrubs with blueberry bushes or dwarf fruit trees.
Herb Gardens: Create attractive herb borders along walkways and driveways.
Raised Beds: Design attractive raised beds with decorative edging and pathways.
Container Gardens: Use decorative containers for herbs, vegetables, and small fruit plants.
Backyard Food Forests
Canopy Layer: Large fruit and nut trees provide shade and structure.
Understory Trees: Smaller fruit trees like figs and persimmons fill middle layers.
Shrub Layer: Berry bushes and flowering shrubs add color and productivity.
Herbaceous Layer: Perennial herbs and vegetables provide ground-level interest and harvests.
Groundcover: Low-growing herbs and edible groundcovers suppress weeds and add beauty.
Seasonal Planning
Spring: Focus on flowering fruit trees, emerging herbs, and cool-season vegetables.
Summer: Enjoy peak productivity with berries, tomatoes, and warm-season crops.
Fall: Harvest fruits, nuts, and root vegetables while enjoying fall foliage colors.
Winter: Evergreen herbs, winter vegetables, and structural elements provide year-round interest.
Maintenance Considerations
Integrated Pest Management: Use companion planting and natural pest control methods.
Pruning and Training: Maintain plant shape and productivity through regular pruning.
Harvest Timing: Plan for regular harvesting to maintain plant appearance and productivity.
Seasonal Cleanup: Remove spent plants and debris while maintaining garden aesthetics.
Edible landscaping allows you to create beautiful, productive outdoor spaces that nourish both body and soul. Start small with herbs and container gardens, then gradually expand to create a comprehensive edible landscape.