This is ultimately why I transitioned the edible front yard to contain mostly perennials. Have a plan to fill the space after each harvest, or you’ll risk having empty spots. When I began my edible landscape journey, I had no idea how much time I would need to keep the annual vegetables looking tidy and weed free! Take it from me: Annual plants need more attention than perennials to retain an aesthetic appeal. If time is not on your side, then consider only replacing the existing landscape with edibles while leaving the lawn intact. How much time do you have to commit to maintenance? Replacing lawn with an edible landscape could require more time to keep tidy. When I planted edibles in the parking strip (between the sidewalk and street), I planned accordingly for the steady stream of traffic by dog walkers, kids on bikes, and parked-car passengers. If garden beds are easy to step in or walk through, then they probably will be by this bunch! Create diversions and obstacles that direct traffic away from prized plants. What do they have in common? They all take the most direct path from point A to point B. 3 Things to Consider before Breaking Ground in the Edible Landscape -Deer, Kids, and Dogs Take a (virtual) tour of both my front and backyard edible landscapes.
#EDIBLE LANDSCAPE DESIGN TRIAL#
Edibles truly make supremely beautiful landscapes.Īfter much trial and error, my beautiful, edible front yard now contains currant bushes, black raspberries, strawberries, cherry trees, and a variety of edible herbs and flowers.īelow is a picture of our house before we purchased it, and after turning it into an edible landscape. Rosalind Creasy, author of Edible Landscaping, is the modern pioneer of the movement, yet landscaped gardens containing edibles have been the norm throughout history from English cottage gardens all the way back to ancient Persia. The book also explores the social aspects of having a productive front yard and the subsequent interactions with neighbors. that were replaced with a productive landscape. The book Edible Estates is a fantastic picture book of lawns across the U.S. While the usual dog walker or passerby will exchange niceties about the weather, the edible landscape gave us something interesting to talk about. While developing and maintaining a lawn is relatively mind-numbing (not to mention potentially polluting), I’ve found that I’m more alive and engaged with the edible landscape.įor example, when the strawberries, cherries, or black raspberries ripen, it’s an exciting moment! Nothing in a traditional landscape is that exciting.Īn edible landscape gave me a reason to interact with my neighbors. My edible front yard is an intentional landscape. However, I believe they’re missing out on an opportunity to have life-giving landscape that provides beauty, ecological benefits, and edible yields.Īlthough I have a particular fondness for a productive landscape, I also enjoy a beautiful one that attracts beneficial insects and is friendly to wildlife.Įdible landscaping is a softer, gentler approach that combines traditional landscaping with micro-farming techniques, and is both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically friendly. Many suburbanites spend their weekends maintaining a traditional lawn and landscape. With less than 2% of the American population farming (some sources say less than 1%), the suburbs are primed to lead the up-and-coming small “farm” movement. When I found out that lawn is the largest crop in the United States-and realized how abundant it is in the suburbs-I decided to give my yard a makeover!
Learn some strategies for designing a beautiful, low-maintenance edible landscape. Edible landscaping can be an easy way to grow food in the front yard.
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