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by Avis Licht
For a front yard, make sure your structures are ornamental as well as useful.
Edible landscaping has become more popular than I ever thought it would or could. Every day we hear about some new project in cities all over the world. We’re seeing gardens that are both beautiful and have delicious, healthy produce. I mean, it only makes sense.
In Marin County the municipal water district has been encouraging people to conserve water by planting low water use plants as well as food gardens. In May they have a tour of the best gardens that use principals that they call “Bay Friendly”: organic, drought resistant, permeable surfaces, habitat friendly for beneficial birds and insects, and lovely to look at.
On the tour last weekend I took some photos from a few of the gardens that incorporated some good edible landscaping ideas. See if anything inspires you for your garden. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)
Raised vegetable boxes define an area and let you put good growing soil into a small area. It’s also easy to maintain.
These California native plants look good, are low maintenance, provide flowers and habitat. They go beautifully in an edible landscape.
Another view of the same yard. This shows that the native plants create a small patio area and the vegetables are at the far end of the yard near the fence.
To read more about designing your edible landscape, read this post.
Be sure to leave a comment or shoot me a question by going to the Ask Avis page.
This suburban backyard is all raised beds and container plantings. Easy to maintain and very productive.
This tiny chicken coop in an unused side yard provides fresh eggs for the owners.
- I’ve never seen this many fruit trees in containers. Lots of varieties but also a smaller harvest from the containers. When growing in pots, be sure to give plenty of water and nutrients. It is easier to find the right growing conditions when you can move the pots to the right micro climate. Since they will be dwarf simply by being in pots you can grow more trees in a smaller area.
To find out more about growing in containers read my post on self watering planters.
This huge cauliflower was in a raised planter. You can get huge results when you have the best soil and perfect growing conditions.
This tower of strawberry pots is fun to look at and certainly easier to harvest the strawberries.
To find out more about growing strawberries read this post.
Path, flowers and bird bath highlight the backyard garden. This yard has many fruits and vegetables, yet is entirely enchanting. At least I think so.
Entering the garden, you are led by a curving path, under fruit trees, by flowers, herbs and native plants.
I love that this vegetable garden looks like a garden garden. It’s not just utilitarian.
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2 Responses to “An Edible Landscape Can Take Many Forms”
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Hi Avis – Wonderful post and we will share this with others! Great ideas and tips in your article and wonderful pictures too. We encourage our clients to try out edible gardens for their green spaces.
I’d love to do a trade some fig cuttings with you if you are interested .I have about 30 varieties of fig trees I can take cuttings from and I also have a large collection of tomato seeds and other garden seeds I can share with you in return. my email is ediblelandscaping.sc@gmail.com if you want to talk more, thanks and I look forward to hearing back from you.