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Edible Landscapes with Eye-Appeal 07-30-13 | News

Edible Landscapes with Eye-Appeal

The artichoke is considered a flower. It is the leaves of the flower that are eaten and the choke or thistle part is discarded.

The popularity of edible landscapes is growing vigorously but some potential customers might worry that while pleasant to taste, they might not be pleasant to view. However many flower favorites are edible, and many vegetable and herb buds are quite attractive so this need not be the case.

Some of the more well-liked blooms are marigolds, with a taste resembling saffron, carnations, which have sweet petals, lilacs, which have a lemony taste with pungent floral overtones, and roses, whose flavors can resemble strawberries and green apples with undertones ranging from fruit to mint to spice.

Of course many flowers or can produce unpleasent side effects. And not all parts of a plant are edible. It is recommended that you consult a good reference source before adding a plant to an edible landscape. If a pesticide has to be used, only apply labeled for use on edible crops).

Vegetables with showy blooms include okra, which is a member of the hibiscus family, artichokes, with its large purple and pink flowers, squash and pumpkin. Ornamental herb flowers include chives, lavender and rosemary.

So with the proper selection of a plant pallete, an edible landscape can be as attractive as it is useful and sustainable.