By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-07-05 01:39:12 | Word Count: 551
One of the ways to get the most out of your yard or garden is to incorporate plants that are multi-purpose, and what better way to make your garden multi-purpose than to plant your own produce? However, if you’re thinking that you can only plant salad veggies and tons of tomatoes, you might be limiting your range of edible landscaping options. Here are some ideas for making your landscaping edible.
Fruits
Although the term includes a great range of fruits, stone fruit trees, also called drupes, are found fairly often in landscape designs. Not only do many of them produce beautiful blossoms, but their fruits, which include plums, cherries and peaches, can be made into delicious snacks and desserts. Apples and pears are not considered stone fruits, however they do produce beautiful blossoms, and have traditionally been consumed fresh, though they can also be found canned, dried, as a juice, sauce or cider.
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Nuts
Although we often refer to a large variety of dried fruits and seeds as nuts, biologically speaking, not all “nuts” are true nuts. Walnuts, for example, are not considered to be true nuts from a biological perspective. However, that doesn’t stop us from making delicious cookies utilizing these tasty treats. Almonds, Macadamia nuts and Pine nuts are not only eaten plain, but the oil extracted from them is also used for culinary purposes.
Palm Trees
Coconuts, which are considered drupes, are a good example of how planting a palm tree in your yard or garden can not only add to the aesthetic value, but also provide culinary value. However, coconuts aren’t the only palm trees that produce delicious fruit for us to enjoy. Palms trees have also been used to make oil, vinegar, wine, and even sugar. The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera), is a historically well-known source of dates and the Pindo Palm, (Butia capitata) produces fruits that are eaten fresh or made into jellies, jams, pies and cakes.
Herbs
Who says you can’t dress up your landscape and your dishes at the same time? There are lots of herbs that can be grown to fit into your landscape design. Although you can grow smaller sized herbs like thyme, basil and dill, you can also plant other herbs for cooking and baking, including pepper, spearmint, oregano, fennel, sage and rosemary. Looking to put in a grassy plant? Why not plant some lemongrass? And if you like to add bay leaves to your soups, try planting a bay laurel tree and enjoy a little shade, as well. You can learn more about planting herbs by consulting your local garden center specialist.
Cacti
If you’ve heard of the prickly pear cactus, you may have heard that they produce some edible fruits. However, there are several other types of cacti that produce delicious fruits, as well. In fact, the so-called Dragon Fruits of Southeast Asia come from several species of the Hylocereus genus and the popular Strawberry Cactus (Enchinocereus spp.) is named such that its fruits take on a strawberry and sometimes raspberry-like flavor. You are sure to find a cactus in San Diego that will not only provide a delicious treat, but will also be drought-tolerant.
