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Have Your Landscape Plants & Eat Them, Too

Brent Wastney Brent Wastney

Have Your Landscape Plants (and Eat Them, Too!)

Tampa Landscaping with Plants You Can Eat

Imagine walking through your landscape. The birds are singing, the sun is shining—everything is tranquil and as beautiful as can be. Then, your stomach rumbles. Great news—your landscaping is also edible. You can simply grab a snack straight from the window box!

Okay, so we’re not exactly advocating for this level of landscape versatility, but there’s definitely something to be said about incorporating multi-use plants when designing your dream property. Correction: there’s a lot to be said!

Whether you’re new to the world of edible landscaping or a seasoned veteran, we hope our 20 years of knowledge can inform and inspire you!

Why Landscape with Edible Plants?

As with many landscaping topics, this question has a variety of answers, most of which are dependent on your unique personality, property, and goals.

For many, this trend is appealing because it means fresh herbs and produce directly at their fingertips. Food doesn’t get fresher than planting, raising, and harvesting it yourself! Plus, there’s no better way to add a special pizzaz to your dinner than incorporating fresh veggies or your very own herbs.

As a bonus, you can also save a bit of money. No longer will you have to run to the store for fresh cucumbers, for example—you can just step into your backyard and pick one!

For others, the primary goal may be to introduce their children to hard work, timeless skills, and a healthy lifestyle. Landscaping with edible plants can provide fantastic family bonding time, create endless conversations, and establish habits that last a lifetime.

Of course, the natural beauty of these plants is nothing to scoff at. Using edible plants as part of your property’s appearance can add an unmistakable multi-functional flair!

Plan Your Plot

Chances are, you’re ready to jump headfirst into this exciting new world of edible plant landscaping. That’s great, and we’re here to help, but pump the brakes for just one second! Before you can properly landscape with plants you can eat, you’ll need to evaluate your property and choose how and where to use your new plants.

If you want to start a dedicated garden, this conversation may be pretty straightforward (unless you have severely limited space). Let’s say, though (for argument’s sake), that you have limited space and decide to place your edible plants in front of your house.

This is a highly visible area of your property with high levels of foot traffic, frequent visitors, and all kinds of curious eyes. You wouldn’t want to throw a bunch of vegetable plants in front of the porch and call it a day, right?

Instead, you want your edible plants to be just as beautiful as your purely decorative plants.

Good news—we have a few suggestions that will give you the beauty you desire and let you eat it, too!

Pick the Perfect Edible Plants

Whether you choose to create a landscape composed primarily of edible plants or just sprinkle a few throughout your other plants, picking the perfect edible plants for your purposes is key. Luckily, there are quite a few to select from, giving you plenty of options when designing your dream landscape!

Florida boasts a number of edible flowers, including (but not limited to):

  • calendulas
  • chrysanthemum
  • citrus
  • daylily
  • dandelion
  • geranium
  • hibiscus
  • jasmine
  • pansies
  • rose
  • sage

You don’t have to stop with flowers, either. You can add herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, nut trees, and even certain shrubs to your property!

 

It’s no secret that Florida is home to a vast and diverse ecosystem practically overflowing with beautiful plant life. What you may not have known is just how many of those lovely leafy landscape highlights are edible!

If you want to spice up your property—figuratively and literally—you’ve come to the right place. Landcrafters has been helping Floridians design and implement their dream landscapes for over 20 years. With expertise in everything from eye-catching water features to delectable edible flowers, Landcrafters is ready to help you transform your property into a multi-functional wonderland.

For more information, please reach out to us at 727-201-3947 or via our website. We’d love to talk to you about your landscaping needs and adding an edible element to your property.

While you’re at it, take a moment to check out our blog! It’s updated regularly with helpful tips, interesting landscaping information, and more. Best of all, it’s completely free!

Brent Wastney

Brent Wastney

Landscape Designer for Landcrafters, Inc. Brent Wastney brings over 30 years of experience in the landscape industry across three different countries: New Zealand, Australia, and currently, he's spent the last 12 years immersed in landscaping here in Florida. Over the past 3 years, Brent has served as a landscape consultant designer, specializing in planning for both new landscape installations and enhancing existing landscapes while fostering strong relationships with clients. In addition to his extensive practical experience, Brent holds a New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture and a Florida National Growers Association Certificate. Furthermore, he's completed Dynascape Landscape Design Classes and attended the Water Star Class.