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EDIBLE LANDSCAPES
Grow your own nutritious & delicious food as part of your landscape
Why do we have plants in our landscapes? They provide beauty, and they serve valuable functions such as providing privacy screens or shade, supporting wildlife like birds and pollinators, and stabilizing the soil. Why not add plants to our landscapes that do all of these things plus provide a harvest of delicious and nutritious food for us to enjoy?
Edible plants fulfill the same uses as standard ornamental landscape plants, they are beautiful, they can provide screening and shade, they provide food and habitat for birds, animals, and beneficial insects, their roots prevent erosion, AND, they offer edible fruits, berries, nuts, and other produce.
Add edible plants to existing garden beds, incorporate them into ornamental plantings, or design and install a garden composed of primarily edible plants! Imagine foundation plantings and lawn and hardscape border beds, orchards or even edible forests!
What can I grow?
There are many edible plants with which you are both likely familiar and are aware that they grow well in our area. Blueberries, apples, pears, strawberries, grapes, peaches, plums, quince, persimmon, mulberry, elderberry, raspberries and blackberries to name a few.
There are also cold hardy varieties of almonds, figs, and kiwi that grow well here.
Other uncommon edible plants that grow well in our climate are honeyberry, goji berry, cornelian cherry, jujube, medlar, goumi berry, seaberry, lignon berry, huckleberry, pawpaw, and maypop.
Benefits of an Edible Landscape
The produce is about as healthy as can be. You know exactly how it is grown. If you do not apply chemicals then you know that it is chemical free. Many edible landscape plants, such as blueberries, are considered superfoods because of their high nutrient content.
With today's food costs, the monetary value (savings) of the fruits, berries, nuts, etc. , is substantial.
For adults, and for children in particular, harvesting fruit provides a meaningful connection with the landscape and fond lasting memories.
"Annisquam Landcare is dedicated to excellent service and transforming properties, 'Beautifully, Naturally.'"
—Sash L. Gloucester
