TREE AND SHRUBSLeaf it to me

Edible Landscaping: Practical and Delicious!

More and more people are moving away from the idea of simple lawns and looking for innovative landscape ideas. They want to make their outdoor space into a more natural setting, and this can include useful, even edible plants! A lot of edible plants happen to be quite aesthetically pleasing; some vegetables and herbs also have ornamental varieties. It’s great to have your own vegetables – fuel costs are driving up the price of all food products, and produce is no exception.

If you’re interested in creating edible landscapes yourself, you’ll likely want to opt for perennials, since they will return year after year, saving you a lot of work each spring. After planting them once, these plants will give you food and something pleasing to look at for years to come.

These plants require little in the way of care; just watering, feeding, a bit of weeding, pruning and keeping any insect pests under control will be sufficient. There are plenty of perennial vegetable plants which are great choices. Remember, perennials do die back in the winter, so don’t be alarmed when your plants appear to go away in the fall – they’ll come back in the spring!

Perhaps you are a little leery of this idea – after all, doesn’t a vegetable garden require a lot of care? This is certainly the case for traditional vegetable gardens; however, edible landscapes require only a little bit more work than other landscape plants!

This is all easier than you may think. You can simply replace some elements used in traditional landscaping with edible plants. For example, plant fruit trees rather than non-fruit bearing varieties. Wouldn’t you rather have say, plums than acorns?  Many vegetables work well as ornamentals and can be planted in place of flowers and other landscape accents.

Edible plants can also be mixed in with others to create your own outdoor look. Herbs in particular look wonderful planted among other, non-edible flowering plants. You can create any look for your garden or yard that you like this way.

Sage and oregano work very well as small shrubs, especially as edging for larger shrubs. Try planting curly parsley among flowers such as lobelia, dianthus and pansies. Strawberries also work well in flower gardens.

Why not plant some leaf lettuce in beds as accents? Leaf lettuce comes in different colors and shapes – combine them for a stunning look, edged with a border of grass.

Edible flowers are also a wonderful idea. There are plants which give in more ways than one. Snap peas, for instance. Besides producing peas, they also give you the gift of beautiful pink, white and purple flowers on attractive vines.

Chives are a joy to behold with their purple flowers (edible and great in salads as well). The red and white flowers of fava beans add interest to any garden. Dill’s yellow, pleasant smelling blossoms are an attractive and fragrant addition. Salvia and sage boast blue and purple flowers which are a welcome sight and nasturtium (did you know the flowers are edible?) flowers are colorful.

Requiring little maintenance (and delicious), perennial herbs and vegetables are a fantastic idea in any landscaping. Dandelions, chives, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, ginger, asparagus, sorrel and more are all wonderful to look at and to eat as well.

How To Choose Shrubs For Fall Color

Glowing Embers Japanes Maple – Beautiful Fall Colors – 2 1/2 feet tall Already! $13.50

Rosy Glow Barberry, glossy red leaves, good fall color $6.97

Glowing Embers Japanes Maple – Beautiful Fall Colors – 2 1/2 feet tall Already! $13.50

Japanese Maple ‘Rugose’ FALL COLOR!! 3yr 1gal $34.00

DWARF BURNING BUSH~Gorgeous Fall Color~1 nice shrub $6.00

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Fall Colors! Seeds $2.00

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Fall Colors! Seeds $4.00

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Fall Colors! Seeds $6.00

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Fall Colors! Seeds $10.00

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Fall Colors! Seeds $18.00

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Fall Colors! Seeds $32.00

Chinese Pistache, (Pistachio) Pistacia chinensis, Tree Seeds (Fall Colors) $2.00

Chinese Pistache, (Pistachio) Pistacia chinensis, Tree Seeds (Fall Colors) $4.00

Chinese Pistache, (Pistachio) Pistacia chinensis, Tree Seeds (Fall Colors) $6.00

Chinese Pistache, (Pistachio) Pistacia chinensis, Tree Seeds (Fall Colors) $10.00

Chinese Pistache, (Pistachio) Pistacia chinensis, Tree Seeds (Fall Colors) $18.00

Chinese Pistache, (Pistachio) Pistacia chinensis, Tree Seeds (Fall Colors) $32.00

Black Chokeberry Shrub, Aronia melanocarpa, Seeds (Edible Fruit, Fall Colors) $2.00

Black Chokeberry Shrub, Aronia melanocarpa, Seeds (Edible Fruit, Fall Colors) $4.00

Black Chokeberry Shrub, Aronia melanocarpa, Seeds (Edible Fruit, Fall Colors) $6.00

Black Chokeberry Shrub, Aronia melanocarpa, Seeds (Edible Fruit, Fall Colors) $9.00

Black Chokeberry Shrub, Aronia melanocarpa, Seeds (Edible Fruit, Fall Colors) $18.00

Black Chokeberry Shrub, Aronia melanocarpa, Seeds (Edible Fruit, Fall Colors) $36.00

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, Seeds (Fall Colors) $2.00

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, Seeds (Fall Colors) $4.00

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, Seeds (Fall Colors) $6.00

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, Seeds (Fall Colors) $10.00

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, Seeds (Fall Colors) $18.00

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, Seeds (Fall Colors) $32.00

Crimson Pygmy Barberry, glossy red leaves, good fall color $6.67

Oakleaf Hydrangea Bush – White Flowers / Red Fall Color $9.99

STAGHORN SUMAC SHRUB TREE SEED FALL COLORS $3.75

Rudy Hagg truely dwarf burning bush-grows to 3′ tall, red fall color, 4″ pots $9.99

50 Red BURNING BUSH Kochia Shurb Seeds Fall Color! $1.00

Muhlenbergia Grass (Ornamental), Fall Color $7.67

NA, USA, Alaska Photo Mugs NA, USA, Alaska. Denali National Park, Wonder Lake. Fall-colored shrub (Skimmia sp.)….

NA, USA, Alaska, Photo Mugs NA, USA, Alaska, Denali NP, Wonder Lake. Frost-covered, fall-colored shrub (Skimmia sp.)….

NA, USA, Alaska, Photo Mugs NA, USA, Alaska, Denali NP, Wonder Lake, Fall-colored shrub (Skimmia sp.), frost-covered….

Tree – Fall Part of Series – 24H x 24W – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals – Hiking into the Woods – 18W x 12H Removable Graphic $30.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Solitary Shrub in Fall Leaves – 18W x 12H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $30.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Crystalmood Handmade Boxwood Carved Hair Stick Fall 6.5 Inches $20.30 Freeze fall with every catch of falling leaves. In the season of harvest, don’t get stuck in a rut of barrettes and clips to get hair off your pretty face. Grab a hair stick that speaks stylish earthiness in every way. This wooden hair stick is ornately carved with the intricate pattern of an autumn leaf. The perfect cut of the leaf is an ideal mix of earthy and glamorous. This is pretty good for …

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Na, Usa, Alaska, from Danita Delimont $24.99 Photo Puzzle, NA, USA, Alaska,. NA, USA, Alaska, Denali NP, Wonder Lake, Fall-colored shrub (Skimmia sp.), frost-covered. Chosen by Danita Delimont. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5. Puzzle image 5×7 affixed to box top. Puzzle pieces printed on RA4 paper at 300 dpi. This item is shipped from our American lab….

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Na, Usa, Alaska from Danita Delimont $24.99 Photo Puzzle, NA, USA, Alaska. NA, USA, Alaska. Denali National Park, Wonder Lake. Fall-colored shrub (Skimmia sp.). Chosen by Danita Delimont. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5. Puzzle image 5×7 affixed to box top. Puzzle pieces printed on RA4 paper at 300 dpi. This item is shipped from our American lab….

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of ROG-11779 European Spindle in autumn berries with arils from Ardea Wildlife Pets $24.99 Photo Puzzle, ROG-11779 European Spindle in autumn berries with arils. ROG-11779 European Spindle in autumn berries with arils. deciduous shrub or small tree Euonymus europaeus Bob Gibbons Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in anyway. contact details prints ardea tel and 44 (0) 20 8672 2067 . Chosen by Ardea Wildlife Pets. 10×14 Photo Puzzle wi…