At Home Living: Edible landscapes a new twist on gardens

Okay, so whats the difference? Vegetable gardens are generally thought of as a square or rectangular plot set aside solely for growing food. Edible landscapes are an exciting way to offer an alternative to conventional landscapes which use strictly ornamental plants.

Edible landscapes require creativity and can be just as attractive, if not more so, than conventional designs; yet produce fruits and vegetables for home use. This can be an aesthetic way to relive your worries about contaminated foods as well as helping with your grocery budget. You can incorporate simple edible elements into your existing yard or garden or you can install an entirely edible landscape. Consider color, texture, height, and form when choosing which edible plants to use. The possibilities are endless.

You can use edible plants just about anywhere ornamental plants are used. Most, but not all, fruits and vegetables do best when receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight each day and have well drained soils. If you must plant in partial shade, try fast-growing, cool-season crops such as lettuce and spinach.

Borders & edges Start to think of strawberry lined borders. The alpine varieties of strawberries form runnerless clumps, flower and fruit all year long, while providing white or pink blossoms. (Just imagine nibbling on luscious red berries while weeding, yum.) You might prefer a border of white-flowering garlic chives or the more common purple-flowering variety. Both are good in soups, herbal breads, salads or atop a baked potato. For a fuller border, add some parsley, creeping thyme, oregano, or cilantro. The last three also make great ground covers. A pretty contrasting border combines parsley and/or lettuce (red and green) with alyssum. Dont forget the hot peppers. Their colorful fruit can make things exciting.

Small areas, containers, and window boxes Grow a colorful salad in a small plot or container using pansies, violas, lettuce, calendula, and nasturtiums (all edible). Use determinate or bush type tomatoes. They are less likely to get rangy. Cherry or grape tomatoes add a nice visual spark.

Shrubs and hedges Sweet corn can make a good backdrop for flower gardens. Ornamental corn and some popcorn varieties are beautifully colored. They tend to be shorter than sweet corn. Rhubarb can be a focal point of any garden, especially set among small-leaved plants. Fennel and asparagus both have feather leaves that mingle well with cosmos flowers and make a nice backdrop for flower beds. Blueberries, gooseberries (can replace a barberry hedge), currants, elderberries, blackberries, raspberries, or pest-and disease resistant Rugosa roses are all good choices in place of ornamental shrubs. The Rugosa rose hips are loaded with 60 times more vitamin C than oranges and can be made into teas or jams or eaten raw. (Note: this species can be somewhat invasive and should not be planted in agricultural or meadow areas.)

Vines Grapes and purple-podded beans are good for growing on trellises along with or in place of morning glories or other flowering vines.

Trees You do not have to create an orchard to have fruit trees in your yard. Many varieties require very little care. Use disease-resistant hybrids of apple, crabapple, peach, pear, plum, and cherry. Most are available in dwarf or semi-dwarf sizes for easy care and picking. If you are adventurous, you might try growing Pawpaw, the banana of the north. The pyramidal shape of this tree and the custard-like fruit, which matures in mid to late summer, will be the talk of the neighborhood. Another interesting choice would be the American persimmon, with its spectacular autumn foliage and sweet golden-yellow and orange fruits. (I love persimmon cookies!) One more, the Serviceberry, also known as the Juneberry (Amelanchier) is gaining popularity. Some varieties resemble trees and others tall, showy shrubs. They all feature sweet blueberry sized fruits equally loved by birds and other wildlife.

Edible plants can be featured anywhere ornamental plants might have been used, and can prove equally attractive. Treat edible landscapes more like a hobby than a chore. If you are concerned about being overwhelmed, just start small. Groom them just as you would an ornamental landscape. Edible plants need pruning and weeding and deadheading (harvesting). The upside is that you get to snack while laboring. Take special care to select pesticides and fertilizers that are appropriate and safe on plants to be consumed. Your county Extension office can provide recommendation on pest management.

The possibilities are limitless. Dare to be different and add an incredible edible landscape to your property.

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At Home Living: Edible landscapes a new twist on gardens