If you still don’t have an edible landscape in your yard, then you are definitely missing out. Edible gardens have become quite popular these past few years and for good reason – the combination of traditional landscaping and row cropping techniques make for an aesthetically pleasing outdoor space that’s also eco-friendly.
Interested? You are in the right place as Blossom and Broom shares what you need to know about edible landscaping:
What You Need to Consider Before You Break Ground
Kids and Dogs
What do these two have in common that they fall in the same category? Well, they both don’t mind trampling your plants! Both little kids and boisterous furry friends always choose the direct path from where they are to where they want to go. If it happens that there are garden beds on their path, you can bet that they’ll step on them. It’s important that you have some diversions or obstacles of some sort to direct traffic from the plants that you’re growing.
Time
How much can you dedicate to planting and growing? Your edible landscape is going to require maintenance not only to stay tidy but for your edibles to grow properly as well. Annual plants need more TLC than perennials for them to keep their beauty. Not many are aware of how much time it takes to make sure annual vegetables are weed-free!
Money
If you plan to keep the edible landscape long-term, you should know that it’s going to mostly consist of perennials. These plants can be expensive. If you want a cheaper option and you don’t mind bare ground for a bit, you can opt for seeds. You can also grow annuals to fill in the spaces until your perennials reach maturity.
Design Principles to Follow for Aesthetic Appeal
Lines
Lines are what defines the space and connects you to your edible landscape. These could be a curved pathway, a low fence, a border of rocks that frame a bed of carrots, or the edge of the garden. In short, it’s anything that will draw your eyes to follow an edge or line.
Simplicity
Try to maintain simplicity in your edible garden instead of planting all sorts of vegetables all at the same time to replace the elements of your former landscape design. For example, if you have a traditional hedge, you can replace that with an edible one like a hedge of broccoli or cabbage!
Unity
You want to make sure that you group plants properly so they’ll attract beneficial insects and look great for onlookers, too. It’s also better to group the same type of plants together instead of alternating them with others because it’s going to look messy when they’re all grown.
Focal Point
Just like with a traditional landscape, there should also be one in your edible landscape. But instead of the unusual specimen tree like Japanese maple, go for a fruit tree.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article serves as an introduction to edible landscapes that will get you started on your own project. You’ll find that it’s a fulfilling and exciting journey that allows you to make the most of your outdoor space. Not only will you get an aesthetically pleasing space but when your plants are all grown, you’ll get the freshest fruits and veggies, too! So, go ahead and give edible landscapes a try!
When you’re ready to grow your food and transform your yard, Blossom and Broom is here to help you out. We have more tips for you so you can successfully grow your favorite fruits and veggies right in your own yard! Check out our other posts about edible landscapes and watch out for our giveaways, too!
