Ornamentals? Who needs them!

9 years ago

As I see it, the basic problem with edible landscaping is there are so many plants to choose from. For my yard I've managed to narrow it down to a couple hundred different species and cultivars. For a fruit lover it's tough to decide which apple will make the grade, etc. Currently I'm undecided over which two of my 3 sages I'm going to keep: German, Greek, and Cleveland. Ok, I do have 3 nostalgic ornamentals in the yard: a rose, azalea, and true jasmine. Otherwise, it's all edible!

Comments (5)

Placebo
9 years ago
Try naustrium, it is beautiful and edible, there are many other edible flowers and beautifull edible vines.
Sadly, the seeds that I buy online are not easy to grow for me, and the good stuff rarely grows, so usually choose the easy to grow stuff.
I also have a small garden, I live in an urban area.
Yolanda
9 years ago
MANY of the herbs and nitrogen-fixers are beautiful/ornamental, as are many of the plants that attract pollinators to the yard.

I am working on a list of these above-average-in-looks-yet-still-useful pants.

Anyone know of lists for these?
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dbarron
9 years ago
If it's a true jasmine, you can brew tea from the flowers :)
comtessedelacouche (10b S.Australia: hotdryMedclimate)
9 years ago
Rosepetal jam, rosehip tea from your roses. Scented flowers and flowering herbs are beautiful floating in the bath - cheaper than buying essential oils and even more sensual! They can go in the compost afterwards...

Wynho, I don't know of any specific lists of useful + ornamental plants, other than the usual lists of companion plants. I guess they would vary a bit between climate zones? It's a good idea though - you may just have to write a book on the subject, once you've done your research! I've been wondering about growing alfalfa amongst my old roses, in place of purely ornamental catmint, etc. It has very pretty (and I think, long-lasting) blue flowers, and I thought that after flowering, I could just cut it down and leave it on the ground for a nutritious mulch. I thought it would be cheaper and more convenient than buying alfalfa hay or fertilisers, AND you get to enjoy the flowers. It's grown a lot round here, commercially, for hay. If anyone has any experience of this, or comments/suggestions, I'd be very grateful to hear.

I haven't been on this forum before (usually hang out mainly over in Antique Roses) - is the 'Edible Landscapes' Forum meant to include edible weeds/native foods, etc? Or is it just about gardening/landscaping with edibles? We had a bit of discussion recently on edible weeds in the ARF, and I was surprised to find there didn't seem to be a forum on the topic on GardenWeb.

Comtesse :¬)
zzackey
8 years ago
I would think this site is for anything edible. I grew stinging nettles for tea last year to help with chronic pan. Most people here thought I was nuts, but it made the best tea I ever had in my life.