The Edible Landscape – Beauty and Function

Front-yard by Bill Melvin

With the onset of Spring, we think of longer days, warmer weather, and the bountiful blossoms that are in the near future. Many think of these blossoms as a tapestry of color to be enjoyed for their radiant spectrums and if so lucky, their luscious aromas. But for those that savor edible delights from their land, we think of the treats that are derived from a blossom in the form of tomatoes and tomatillos, peaches and pears, or the sweetness of a strawberry. These joyful delights are what the creative mind of an aspiring edible gardener dreams of, making the shear beauty of their blossoms just another benefit.

Landscaping is not often thought of as a means to feed ourselves. We usually conjure images of manicured lawns, stately trees, or the perennial flower bed lining the drive. But with a little imagination and creativity, some strategic planning, and a green thumb, a landscape can come to life with an abundance of foods that will have you harvesting well after the frosts of fall have set in.

Drawing upon my background in Permaculture design, I seek to establish dynamic companion planting strategies that create a symbiotic relationship between all living elements in the garden. This begins within the soil, nurturing the fungi, the beneficial bacteria, and the microorganisms that will breathe life into the roots of the plants rising above. The species are carefully arranged for their attributes to manage pests, offer nutrients to adjacent species, or help to further build the soil in the process of their development. When you combine these strategies with the microclimates you can create to take advantage of nature’s energy, the possibilities begin to greatly expand for that little piece of land that you may have.

With the proper strategies in place, I begin to dream of the offerings that will come from the land. Here along our Front Range, many do not realize the plethora of fruits and berries that can successfully be cultivated right in our back yards. When designing an edible landscape, I use a wide pallet of fruit trees and shrubs to form the foundation for the landscape upon which to build. Fruits can range from the ever present apples to delicate apricots whose spring blossom rise from its bare branches in a surrealistic spring fashion. Plums are a very reliable producer in this region while a succulent peach dripping down your chin will bring joy to anyone. And the wonder is that these trees yield not only their fruit in the late summer and fall, but their beautiful blossoms that awaken us to the wonder of creation each Spring.

For their extensive variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and tastes, I find berry bushes to be one of the most fun plants to work with in the landscape. Their flowers offer such sweet scents and their tastes ranging from sweet to sour, bitter to bold, berries can offer so much character in such small spaces. And with many delicious varieties being somewhat shade tolerant, they combine well with the understory of fruit trees for stacking techniques to maximize space efficiency.

One of my absolute favorites to grow are the clove scented currants. Their delicate hanging yellow blossoms give way to juicy, blueberry sized fruits that offer an earthy sweetness that become a wonderful compliment for anything from syrup to jams, deserts, or grilled meats. Another wonder in the landscape is an elderberry in full bloom, draped in a dense shroud of white umbels. These make a unique treat and can be deep fried for a tempura like delight or can be preserved to bear fruit, clusters of deep purple berries waiting to be dappled over vanilla ice cream or sprinkled on a dollop of pancake batter in the pan. And then there is the quintessential raspberry patch that can never be underrated for its juicy fruits. Other species that offer both an edible delight and beauty within your landscape include aronia’s or black choke berries, sand cherries, nanking cherries that form an excellent hedge, or wild plums whose juicy fruits and intoxicating blossoms are unforgettable.

With the garden beds starting to overflow with a bounty of goodness, it’s time to introduce herbs for delightful border plantings. The perennial herbs are my favorites merely for their ease of care while offering such rewards with each meal. They compliment a path so well being is within hands reach to swipe the foliage offering a nice pick me up while passing by. Oregano is one that I plant liberally about my landscape, not only for spicing up meals or their beautiful blossoms, but for the wealth of beneficial insects that are drawn to it’s blossoms. Culinary sage is another favorite whose radiant purple blossoms can catch an eye from across the landscape. Lemon creeping thyme is one of those plants that I love to work in to appropriate nooks and cranny’s that creates a wonderful ground cover with such aromatic qualities and a unique flavor for particular foods. And in my eyes, there may be no better border plant than chives whose onion flavors spice up any meal and whose edible flower blossom’s sharp pungency brings such vibrance to any meal it is sprinkled atop.

Without even mention of vegetable delights that spruce up any garden bed, there are a wealth of opportunities to creating an edible landscape in every corner of your property. These species bring not only health and nutrition, but such beauty throughout the growing season it is a wonder they are not integrated into more common landscape plantings to be enjoyed from flower, to fruit, to harvest, to plate!

Bill Melvin is a landscape designer and owner of Ecoscape Environmental Design www.ecoscapedesign.com. Bill has also been a certified Permaculture Designer for over 12 years.