Have you ever wonder if you can have a vegetable garden and decorative landscaping at the same time? Yes, you can! Follow the tips below on how to blend edible landscaping with ornamentals.

How To Blend Edible Landscaping With Ornamentals [Infographic]

Edible landscaping combined with organic gardening practices, enhances any yard, garden or landscape. It may seem overwhelming and unrealistic to non-gardening expert, however, it’s not. Learn to combine  fruit-bearing shrubs, herbs, vegetables and flowers and put edible landscaping into practice.

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A special shout out to Fix.com for this amazing infographic.

How To Blend Edible Landscaping With Ornamentals

Designing a Landscape

Element : LINE

• How it’s used
  To design the edges where garden beds meet paths and structures.
• What does it do?
  Moves the eye and people through a landscape.

Curved Lines

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• Make a space feel informal, natural, and relaxed
• Move the eye at a slow pace
• Add mystery to a space by creating hidden areas

Straight Lines

• Create a formal feeling
• Lead the eye directly to focal points

Vertical Lines

• Move the eye upward
•  Make a space feel longer
•  Give a feeling of activity or movement

Horizontal Lines

• Move the eye along the ground plane
•  Can make a space feel longer
•  Create a feeling to rest

Element : FORM

• How it’s used
  To determine the shape of plants, patios, and decorative ornaments
• What does it do?
  Determines the style of a garden; repeating the same form creates patterns to organize a landscape

Geometric Forms

• Can be squares, circles, or irregular polygons
•  Create a formal look

Naturalistic Forms

• Free form shapes mimic what is found in nature
•  Meandering lines, irregular edges, and natural materials create a relaxed feeling

Grow More Food with Less Labor

Choose some of these popular edible perennials for less planting and more eating. You only need to plant them once, and they’ll renew themselves for at least two more growing seasons.

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• Artichokes

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• Asparagus

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• Blueberry

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• Chives

• Currants

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• Fennel

• Fruit and nut trees

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• Grapes

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• Hops

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• Kale

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• Lavender

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• Leeks

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• Onions, many varieties

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• Oregano

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• Raspberries

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• Rosemary

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• Rhubarb

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• Sage

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• Strawberries

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• Thyme

Choosing Edible Plants by Appearance

Height of Plant

Tall(taller than 3 feet)

*Plants with an asterisk usually need a fence, arbor, or support.

Choices

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• Artichokes

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• Banana

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• Beans*

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• Blackberries*

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• Blueberries

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• Bush Cherries

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• Bush Plums

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• Climbing Roses*

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• Corn

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• Currants

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• Dill

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• Elderberries

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• Fennel

• Fruit and nut trees, espaliered* or stand-alone

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• Gooseberries

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• Grapes*

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• Hibiscus*

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• Hops*

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• Nasturtiums*

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• Okra

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• Peas

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• Raspberries*

• Rhubarb

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• Rosemary (depending on conditions)

• Roses

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• Sunflowers

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• Tomatillo*

Mid-size

(10 inches to 3 feet)

*Plants with an asterisk usually need a support

Choice

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• Asparagus

• Broccoli

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• Celery

• Chard

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• Kale

• Lavender

• Onions

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• Peppers*

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• Tomatoes

Short

(smaller than 10 inches)

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• Cabbage

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• Many Culinary Herbs

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• Salad Vegetables

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• Squash

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• Strawberries

Texture of Plant

Coarse

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• Features : Large leaves with irregular edges and contrasting colors
• What the plants do in the landscape : Attract and hold attention
• Choices : Artichokes, corn, kiwi, raspberries, rhubarb, zucchini

Medium

• Features : Medium-size leaves
• What the plants do in the landscape : Create a backdrop
• Choices : Beans, nasturtiums, most plants, peppers, sage

Fine

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• Features : Tiny, needle-like leaves
• What the plants do in the landscape : Create contrast
• Choices : Carrots, chervil, dill, lavender, parsley, rosemary

Color

Shades of Red

Choices

• Apples
• Beets
• Cherries
• Peppers
• Red Lettuce
• Rhubarb
• Roses
• Ruby chard
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes

Orange

Choices

• Nasturtiums
• Persimmons
• Pumpkins
• Squash Flowers

Yellow

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Choices

• Golden Tomatoes
• Lemon Thyme
• Rainbow Chard
• Sunflowers

Green

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Choices

• Most Vegetables and Herbs

Blue

Choices

• Blueberries
• Borage
• Hyssop

Purple

Choices

• Chives
• Eggplant
• Lavender
• Purple Basil
• Purple Cabbage
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Violets

A Sampling of Edible Flowers

Anise Hyssop

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Flavor : Sweet, licorice-like

Perennial

Bachelor’s Button

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Annual

Bee Balm

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Flavor : Varies

Perennial

Begonia

Flavor: Citrusy, bitter aftertaste

Annual

Borage

Flavor : Cucumber like

Annual

Calendula

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Flavor : Peppery, tangy, slightly bitter

Annual

Chamomile

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Flavor : Apple like

Perennial

Chervil

Flavor : Parsley like

Annual

Chives

Flavor : Onion-like

Perennial

Daisies

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Flavor : Mildly bitter

Perennial

Elderberry

Flavor : Sweet

Perennial

Gladiolas

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Flavor : Mild

Perennial

Hibiscus

Flavor : Citrusy

Perennial

Hollyhock

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Flavor : Slightly bitter

Varies

Honeysuckle

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Flavor : Sweet

Perennial

Lavender

Flavor : Sweet

Perennial

Linden

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Flavor : Honey like

Perennial

Marigold

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Flavor : Spicy, bitter

Annual

Nasturtiums

Flavor : Spicy, peppery

Annual

Pansies

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Flavor : Slightly Sweet

Annual

Pineapple Sage

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Flavor : Sweet

Perennial

Roses

Flavor : Sweet

Perennial

Scarlet Runners

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Flavor : Mild

Annual

Summer Savory

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Flavor : Spicy, peppery

Annual

Sunflowers

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Flavor : Buds are artichoke-like, petals are bitter

Annual

Violets

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Flavor : Sweet

Perennial

Winter Savory

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Flavor : Spicy, peppery

Perennial

 

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LIKE this? You won’t regret checking the links below:

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