Look — we love a tidy yard as much as the next guy, but if we’re being honest, we also like our plants to do something. Shade’s great. Curb appeal. But if it grows food? Now you’re speaking our language. We’ve been landscaping for years, and one thing we’ve learned is that an edible landscape doesn’t have to mean ripping up your front lawn and planting rows of kale (unless you’re into that — no judgment). It just takes a little strategy and a fresh eye.
So if you’re looking to dip your toes into the edible landscape world without turning your home into a hobby farm, here are a few of our go-to tips:
1. Start Small — And Start With the Good-Looking Stuff
There are some edible plants that are just plain show-offs. We’re talking rainbow chard, purple basil, nasturtiums, even some lettuces — they’re colorful, textured, and pretty enough to plant right up front. You can see how the kale in the photos below blends in beautifully to the landscape around it, with sedum, euphorbia and pansies.
Herbs like rosemary and sage can handle tough conditions and look great tucked into flower beds. Bonus: they smell amazing every time you brush past. The picture below shows peony, lavender, rosemary, and sage.
And if you’ve got room for a shrub? Go for a blueberry bush. Spring flowers, summer berries, and fiery fall color — hard to beat that lineup.
2. Think Layers Like a Pro In Your Edible Landscape
We design landscapes in layers: trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcover. You can do the same with edibles.
Add a fruit tree where you’d normally plant an ornamental. Underplant it with strawberries or creeping thyme. Then maybe tuck in some kale or parsley around the edges. You end up with a lush, textured planting that just happens to be… dinner.
3. Containers Are Your Friends in Edible Landscapes
Not ready to dig up your yard? No problem. Grab a few big planters or barrels and go to town. Mix in herbs, lettuces, edible flowers — even cherry tomatoes or peppers.
Pro tip: Mix them up with your usual ornamentals. No one says a container has to be all one thing. We love a planter with trailing nasturtiums, a little basil, and maybe some marigolds for color (and pest control).
4. Don’t Overthink It
The best landscapes evolve over time. Start with a few things this season. See what works. Maybe next year you swap out those boxwoods for some dwarf fig trees. Or you finally put that sunny patch to work growing garlic.
The point is, edible landscaping doesn’t have to be a whole project. It can just be your yard, with a few tasty extras.
We’re always happy to help if you want a hand designing a space that looks good and feeds you, too. But if you’re the DIY type, go ahead, plant that rosemary hedge. You might just surprise yourself with how good edible can look.
Do you want more inspiration? Edible Landscaping: Now You Can Have Your Gorgeous Garden and Eat It Too! by Rosalind Creasy is an amazing read and will give you helpful tips to create your own edible oasis.
