Mixing edible and ornamental plants can be nutritious and gorgeous

  • By Sandra Schumacher Special to The Herald
  • Tuesday, August 11, 2015 2:07pm
  • Life

When did we begin to relegate our vegetables to the outer limits of our gardens as if they were second class citizens?

Possibly after World War II when homeowners had larger lawns and were encouraged to keep them well-manicured. Ornamental plants became the predictable bright colored annuals and food was coming into stores from around the world so the need for a home garden was reduced.

Fortunately there has been a movement to grow our own food, and many are doing this in very small spaces, creating the need to once again build an edible landscape.

For centuries, edible and ornamental plants coexisted in harmony side by side in the same garden beds. Yet somewhere along the garden path, someone decided that our garden face should be ornamental; a feat unattainable by an edible plant. Nothing could be more incorrect.

We can look to the English cottage garden as an example of how to mix the two; edible plants have been used to line pathways creating a “kitchen garden” throughout the landscape as an example.

Perhaps it was the size and scope of our yards that simply allowed us to segregate the two groups, whereas other cultures were existing on much smaller plots where every inch mattered. And when their space ran out, window boxes were created for herbs. Some plants, like nasturtiums, perform both functions by beautifying the garden and also by being a tasty addition to a salad.

Garden edges can be outlined and defined by using dwarf berries to build low hedges, another design method used in England. If there is a wet spot in the yard, they have learned that asparagus will thrive there and later will provide the gardener with months of tall feathery stems. Unsightly fences can be covered with peas, cucumbers and climbing squash intermixed with annuals such as zinnias or sweet peas.

As space becomes more precious in our own country, we see more gardeners revisiting the methods of the past and integrating edibles into their ornamental borders. Attention needs to be paid to the growing conditions of the plants, such as water usage and fertilizing needs, sun or shade tolerance, etc.

Ornamental and edible plants sharing the same space need to be able to thrive under the same growing conditions. Ornamental plants that need chemical spraying should not be grown next to those plants being raised for food.

Looking for a groundcover? Consider herbs like thyme, mint or oregano; or plant strawberries whose evergreen leaves tie the garden together in the offseason.

It is also known that nectar production is increased when flowers are present as they draw beneficial insects into the garden. These beneficials protect our edible plants and their pollinators.

One of the most popular Swiss Chard plants in the world is “Brite Lites” and although it is definitely a tasty vegetable, its popularity skyrocketed due to its bright rainbow colored stems. When these plants are backlit by the sun, the effect is truly mesmerizing.

Late summer is the perfect time of year to inventory those empty spots in the garden, and to review your current color palette and existing textures. Develop a list of your favorite fruits and vegetables and consider growing them among the existing ornamental plants and shrubs.

Herbs are a wonderful addition to the beds nearest the kitchen so that they can be harvested quickly as needed all year long. Borders that are visible from the house are prime candidates for colorful and textural vegetables as they will lengthen the garden season while also adding beauty.

If there is only room for one tree, consider a fruit-bearing one instead of a deciduous one. A plum, pear or apple tree can provide the same shade as the ornamental, but will also be a food source.

When one tires of the tasteless fruit and produce that is shipped to our stores from all over the world, it is time to transform his or her own garden into a living buffet. One that is nutritious as well as beautiful; a true feast for both the body and spirit.

Sandra Schumacher writes the Plant of Merit column for The Herald and is a freelance garden writer and Master Gardener. She is a member of Garden Writers of America.

Read more

“Edible Front Yard,” by Ivette Soler, Timber Press, February 2013

“Edible Landscaping,” by Rosalind Creasy, Counterpoint Publishers, November 2010

“Landscaping with Fruit,” by Lee Reich, Storey Publishing, February 2009

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.