Create an Edible Landscape

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Many people would plant a flowering vine to climb up and over this beautiful pergola. However, garden writer Mary-Kate Mackey planted grapevines at the corners of her Oregon backyard retreat (made of salvaged Douglas fir logs), giving her outdoor dining area a European feel. PHOTO: ROBIN BACHTLER CUSHMAN

I have been exploring edible landscaping options for more than 40 years, and the concept still strikes a deep chord with me. Americans cover millions of acres of valuable agricultural land around their homes with lawn, marigold and azalea beds, wisteria, and an occasional privet or maple. Yet as a landscape designer, I know most edible plants are beautiful and that homeowners could grow a meaningful amount of food in their yards — a much more noble use of the soil.

Instead of the typical landscape, we could minimize lawn areas and put in decorative borders of herbs, rainbow chard and striking paprika peppers. Instead of the fleeting color of spring azaleas, we could grow blueberries that are decorative year-round — or pear and plum trees that put on a spring show of flowers, have decorative fruits and yellow fall foliage. These plants aren’t just pretty — they provide scrumptious fruit and can save you money.

The Future Is Now

I’m convinced that, in addition to being a viable design option, an edible landscape (if maintained using organic methods) is the most compelling landscape concept for the future. Edible landscapes offer incredible benefits:

Energy Savings. Food from your yard requires no shipping, little refrigeration, and less energy to plow, plant, spray and harvest the produce.

Food Safety. You know which chemicals (if any) you use, and huge batches of vegetables won’t be combined and therefore can’t contaminate each other.

Water Savings. Tests show that most home gardeners use less than half of the water agricultural production needs to produce a crop. Drip irrigation saves even more. And unlike in agriculture, fields aren’t flooded and huge vats of water aren’t needed to cool down the harvest.

Money Savings. You can grow an unbelievable amount of food in a small, beautiful space. See Grow $700 of Food in 100 Square Feet and my website for exact figures for some popular crops.