Edible Landscaping Front Yard and Back

Take some time to work on edible landscaping design for delicious food all season long. It is simple to use foliage, flowers and fruit for edible landscaping front yard and back.

By Rosalind Creasy
Updated on April 8, 2023
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by ROBIN BACHTLER CUSHMAN

Take some time to work on edible landscaping design for delicious food all season long. It is simple to use foliage, flowers and fruit for edible landscaping front yard and back.

The edible landscape concept strikes a deep chord with me; I’ve been exploring its many options and variations for more than 40 years. 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:

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