Edible landscapes - Garden Plants and Gardening Forum

fygar · 01-15-2008, 12:54 PM

Last year my wife and I relandscaped the front. As of right now there are no bushes, plants...hardly even a trace of grass in front. With this said, we are planning on getting a couple shrubs in front, but other than that, I don't know if we have much plans as far as vegetation. Do any of you have suggestions for (ideally) edible plants that would look attractive? I'm assuming herbs would be a great place to start. Lemme know!

Here's what I have to work with:

gbronner · 01-15-2008, 04:48 PM

Ht fygar
I think that an edible landscape is a great idea. An herb bed on either side of the walkway up to the steps would look really nice. Maybe 3 or 4 feet wide. You could use some of the taller sages along the back and then closer to the walkway some oregano and maybe chamomile so that as it grows over the edge of the walk and it is crushed by someone walking on it you will get some nice fragrance as well. If you have the room a dwarf fruit tree or two would give you some lovely flowers in the spring and a nice harvest as a bounty.

paul b long · 01-16-2008, 03:21 AM

Hi Fygar
My mum used to grow purple sprouting broccoli, red (and yellow, orange and pink)-stemmed swiss chard and climbing beans (runner, french) in her flower borders. This looked great. I've grown chard from time to time in my borders, along with rhubarb, a variety of herbs plus globe artichoke and cardoon which look great for their silvery foliage. Nasturtiums are easy to grow on the poorest soils, in sun, and both their leaves and flowers are good in salads. And how about a fruit bush or small tree - e.g. crabapple?

treeman · 01-16-2008, 09:43 AM

Hello Fygar..... if you are interested in a small tree or 2 consider the Amelanchiers. There are some upper mid-west/Canadian natives that produce good fruits. In your area they may be called Saskatoon or Sugarberry. In our area the local species are A. aborea and A. Allegahniensis and are often called serviceberry, sarvis, shadblow or shadberry. You will have to fight the birds for them.

fygar · 01-17-2008, 06:35 AM

Excellent, thanks everyone. It'll be kind of a piece of work as the front of my house is shaded for all but two hours of the day. I'm going to write some of these down for spring and see what I can come up with for the amount of sun I have to work with.

01-15-2008, 12:54 PM	#1
fygar Green Gardener Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Willmar, Mn Posts: 14	Edible landscapes Last year my wife and I relandscaped the front. As of right now there are no bushes, plants...hardly even a trace of grass in front. With this said, we are planning on getting a couple shrubs in front, but other than that, I don't know if we have much plans as far as vegetation. Do any of you have suggestions for (ideally) edible plants that would look attractive? I'm assuming herbs would be a great place to start. Lemme know! Here's what I have to work with: __________________ My Blog \| My Business

01-15-2008, 04:48 PM	#2
gbronner Green Gardener Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Crest Hill, Illinois Posts: 19 Blog Entries: 5	Ht fygar I think that an edible landscape is a great idea. An herb bed on either side of the walkway up to the steps would look really nice. Maybe 3 or 4 feet wide. You could use some of the taller sages along the back and then closer to the walkway some oregano and maybe chamomile so that as it grows over the edge of the walk and it is crushed by someone walking on it you will get some nice fragrance as well. If you have the room a dwarf fruit tree or two would give you some lovely flowers in the spring and a nice harvest as a bounty. __________________ Please stop by and visit my home page for some of the greatest gardening links resources and articles! http://www.glenns-garden.com

01-17-2008, 06:35 AM	#5
fygar Green Gardener Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Willmar, Mn Posts: 14	Excellent, thanks everyone. It'll be kind of a piece of work as the front of my house is shaded for all but two hours of the day. I'm going to write some of these down for spring and see what I can come up with for the amount of sun I have to work with. __________________ My Blog \| My Business

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
winter meditations: 108+ hardy edible perennial plants	utsahan.com	Grow To Eat	4	02-23-2008 07:40 AM
All About Edible Banana	GrowGirl	Plant Encyclopedia	1	09-13-2007 09:24 PM
All About Edible Fig	GrowGirl	Plant Encyclopedia	1	09-13-2007 09:08 PM

01-16-2008, 03:21 AM	#3
paul b long Green Gardener Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Finchley, North London Posts: 27	Hi Fygar My mum used to grow purple sprouting broccoli, red (and yellow, orange and pink)-stemmed swiss chard and climbing beans (runner, french) in her flower borders. This looked great. I've grown chard from time to time in my borders, along with rhubarb, a variety of herbs plus globe artichoke and cardoon which look great for their silvery foliage. Nasturtiums are easy to grow on the poorest soils, in sun, and both their leaves and flowers are good in salads. And how about a fruit bush or small tree - e.g. crabapple?

01-16-2008, 09:43 AM	#4
treeman Green Gardener Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Shendoah Valley Posts: 11	Hello Fygar..... if you are interested in a small tree or 2 consider the Amelanchiers. There are some upper mid-west/Canadian natives that produce good fruits. In your area they may be called Saskatoon or Sugarberry. In our area the local species are A. aborea and A. Allegahniensis and are often called serviceberry, sarvis, shadblow or shadberry. You will have to fight the birds for them.