Digger Diaries | May-June

Deep South Foodscaping: How to Grow an Edible Yard That Looks as Good as it Tastes

Foodscaping in the front yard can be beautiful and beneficial

Not so long ago, the proper place for vegetables was hidden out of sight in the backyard. Nowadays, front-yard veggie rows aren’t the faux pas they once were—and in some neighborhoods, they’re downright fashionable! Despite this cultural shift, sometimes we still need to think outside the raised bed.

Enter Foodscaping—the art of blending edible plants right into your landscape. Not only is foodscaping a growing garden trend, it’s one that’s especially attainable for us lucky Zone 8–9 gardeners in states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, thanks to our long growing season.

• So, what edible plants work best in our Zone 8–9 Southern landscapes?

• What popular landscape trees, plants, and shrubs could be swapped for edible alternatives with a similar aesthetic?

• And, what are some landscape-designer-approved tricks for arranging edible plants in a front- yard-worthy fashion?

These are the very questions we set out to answer with this post, so keep reading!

Edible plants to swap for common Zone 8–9 landscape plants

Camellia sinensis has edible flowers, stems and leaves

With traditional landscape plants, we’re used to thinking primarily about their aesthetic function: Are they evergreen? Do they bring color? Is it a groundcover, or a large focal point? Etc.

When we think about edible plants in the same fashion, it’s easier to get a sense for where to plant them in your landscape. Below, we’ve just scratched the surface of potential “edible swaps” you could make for popular ornamental landscape plants.

• Instead of oak or hickory trees, plant pecan trees (especially beautiful in pairs or alleys)

• Instead of boxwoods for evergreen structure and tall screens, plant camellia sinensis

• Instead of low-growing shrubs like distylium, plant rosemary—or, edible roses!

• Instead of ornamental grasses like miscanthus,plant lemongrass

• Instead of groundcovers like liriope, plant creeping thyme, oregano, or wild strawberry

• Instead of annual bedding plants, like begonias and geraniums, plant calendula, pansies and violas

• Instead of perennial vines, like wisteria or clematis, plant muscadine or passionflower

  
  

  

  A trellis helps support woody vines

• Instead of annual vines, like morning glory, plant peas, beans, or nasturtiums

  

  Nasturtiums are great in salads and even provide shade for pets.

• Instead of ornamental allium, plant garlic, onions, or chives

• Instead of asiatic lilies, plant daylilies

  

  Daylilly blooms and shoots are edible.

• Instead of daisies, plant monarda

  
  

Landscape-Designer Approved Tips for Foodscaping in Any Yard:

Tip #1 : Start with visual structure.

• Define edges of beds. Nothing makes a garden look more tidy than clean edges! Mulch is a quick

Mulch provides good definition for planted areas.

and easy way to do this—no tools required! Penick Organics Flower & Garden Mulch is especially good for plants that need to be productive as well as beautiful. But the sky’s the limit, here. We’ve seen bricks, rocks, wood, crushed oyster shells, and even wine bottles!

• Add obelisks, trellises, and large, attractive

An obelisk provides structure to landscaped areas.

planters wherever plants look “messy” or underwhelming on their own. Go big!

Small planters look dinky and detract from your plants.

Tip #2: Repeat plant species to create cohesion.

• When in doubt, less is more! Choose fewer species and repeat each one at least once.

• Avoid growing “one-off” plants that aren’t repeated elsewhere.

• When planting like species together, arrange them in odd-numbered “drifts” of asymmetrical, natural-looking clusters.

Tip #3: Choose a landscape theme as a guide.

To grow an edible landscape that blends into your yard, you need to understand your existing landscape style. Is it traditional? Formal? Tropical? Cottage-garden? Regardless of style, introducing edible plants and trees might be easier than you think, and your neighbors would be none the wiser…until you share the bounty.

Four Examples of Common Landscape Styles and Suggested Edible Plants:

1. Cottage Gardens

   

   Cottage gardens are a classic foodscaping example because despite the modern buzz, edible gardening is hardly new. The classic cottage garden originated in 16th century England, where village workers made the most of their small yards by packing herbs, fruit, vegetables, and flowers for all manner of food and medicinal use in densely planted beds and borders. Today, foodcaping isn’t just for cottage gardens. So if that’s not the look you’re going for, read on.

2. Foodscaping in Traditional Southern Lawns

Is your yard traditional, with mulched beds that follow long, sweeping curves? Here are a few ideas you can use:

• Lean on large nut trees, like pecans.

• Opt for edible ground covers, like thyme, oregano, and wild strawberry

• Bring seasonal color to front porch containers with edible flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Mix sweet potato and nasturtiums in the spring and fall; plant pansies, parsley, chives, and kale, in the cooler months.

• Embrace daylily borders—the flowers and buds are edible and long prized in China.

• Grow muscadine over an arbor in a sunny lane—a traditional Southern sight.

• Swap ornamental accent grass, like monkey grass, for lemongrass.

• Find more inspiration in our list of edible plants to grow in Zones 8–9 below!

3. Foodscaping in Formal Southern Lawns

Even a formal yard can benefit from the addition of foodscaping ideas.

Do you have a formal garden, with right-angles, mirror-image symmetry, and tight hedges? Here are some ideas just for you:

• Espaliered fruit trees provide structure and a delicious harvest.

• Plant matching pairs of clipped rosemary topiaries.

• The ever-classic herb knot garden originated in formal spaces. A central birdbath or obelisk makes a great focal point.

  

  Old roses can provide beauty and structure for foodscaped plots.

• Don’t forget the roses! Heirloom old-garden varieties, and some David Austin roses, can be used for a plethora of culinary purposes.

4. Foodscaping in Lush, (Sub)Tropical Lawns

The warmer climate in Zone 9 can grow a wider variety of plants.

• In Zone 9, you may be lucky enough to actually grow bananas on your banana plants! This edible plant is the iconic tropical landscape choice.

• Contrast broad-leafed banana plants with rows of citrus trees, a pair of pomegranates, and overflowing hibiscus planters.

• Or, form a lush foundation with edible trees, like satsumas, figs, and loquats.

• Fill in bare spots with ginger and turmeric.

  
  

Reliable Zone 8–9 Edible Plants To Try In Your Deep-South Landscape

We’ll close with a good, old-fashioned plant list. It’s not comprehensive, but it’s enough to help you envision possible plant choices for your yard’s size, amount of sunshine, and soil conditions. Need to amend? There’s a Penick Organics product for every issue, from dry sand to wet clay, so worry not.

Edible Groundcovers

• Creeping thyme - This evergreen, low-growing herb works beautifully between pavers

• Oregano - While usually low-growing, it sends up spires of white flowers in the summer. Cut and enjoy!

• Sage

• Wild strawberry - Some varieties native

  
  

Edible Flowers & Herbs

• Basil - Well known for its flavorful leaves, it also sends up pretty purple spires, if allowed to flower in the Summer, making it a worthy bedding plant.

  

  Basil is a reliable herb for any size space.

• Borage

• Calendula

• Dandelions - If not in your flowerbeds, try embracing (and not spraying) this edible flower in your lawn.

  

  Dandelions are edible and make delicious teas.

• Daylilies

• Eastern redbud tree flowers (also a native)

• Fennel

• Garlic and chives

• Hibiscus

• Mint - Best for containers—it spreads!

• Monarda (also a native)

• Nasturtium

• Pansies and violas

• Roses - High-fragrance heirloom roses and old-garden varieties have the best culinary value, and some David Austin roses (like the beautiful ‘Lady of Shallot’).

  

  Rose, "Lady of Shallot" is not only lovely, but can be made into teas and jams.

  The petals, hips, buds, stems, and leaves can be turned into rosewater, rose hip tea, rose jam, and all sorts of culinary delights.

  
  

Vegetables & Greens for the Landscape

• Arugula - Believe it or not, this peppery salad green makes plentiful delicate, beige flowers in the summer before it goes to seed

  

  Arugula has lovely flowers too.

• Okra - The large, pale flowers closely resemble this plant’s more tropical cousin, the hibiscus.

• Kale - Stays green even through winter’s coldest days

• Carrots - Can grow year-round. Flowers resemble its relative, Queen Anne’s Lace.

Edible Landscape Shrubs

• Blueberry - some varieties are also native

  

  Who doesn't love blueberries? Some varieties, like rabbit eye, are reliable producers in the deep south.

• Camellia senensis - Not the familiar Camellia japonica, but its culinary cousin, the tea plant. All black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, puh-ehr tea—and yes, Southern sweet tea—comes from this plant. But it also makes a beautiful privacy hedge.

• Elderberry (also a native)

• Lemongrass - Not a shrub, but worth mentioning here for its large size. Typically grown as an annual in our region.

  

  Old fashioned roses are edible, but watch those thorns!

• Old-fashioned roses

• Rosemary

• Yaupon holly (also a native)

  
  

FRUIT TREES & NUT TREES FOR THE LANDSCAPE

• Fig

• Loquat - Can die in Zone 8 hard freezes; best when planted close to a warm South-facing wall

• Native plums

• Pawpaw (also a native) - best planted in a group of multiple varieties.

• Pear

• Pecan

• Persimmon (native or Fuyu) - beautiful understory trees with fruit in late fall

Persimmons are a much loved southern fruit.

• Pomegranate

• Satsuma - Better in Zone 9 toward the Gulf coast

EDIBLE LANDSCAPE VINES

• Beans

• Malabar spinach

• Muscadine

• Nasturtium

• Passionflower vine (also a native)

Great soil can take your edible yard from good to amazing.

• Peas

• Sweet potato

• Sungold tomato (or any indeterminate/ vining tomatoes - plant in a large, stately planter and train onto an attractive obelisk or arch instead of a tomato cage)

Help Out Your Harvest

To make the most of your edible yard, grow your plants in the best soil you can give them. If you’re not sure what your plants need, ask your nursery. If you’re in our area, they will likely recommend amending native clay or sand with our Loamate Soil Enricher, Loamus Soil Builder, or Digger's Delight Potting Soil—depending on what you’re growing, where.

There you have it: How to grow an edible landscape in our Zone 8 or Zone 9 Southern yards, while creating a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

Now, we’re off to pick some home-grown blueberries. All this talk of food is making us hungry!

Dig It? It's Grow Time!