Saturday, May 16, 2015

In this article, the third of our spring gardening reports, I will sample the smorgasbord of ways you can eat your outdoor landscaping. Gardendesign.com blogger Stephanie Cohen, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania (http://theperennialdiva.com/) says edible gardening is becoming a bigger part of outdoor living spaces. Cohen says miniature fruit bushes are really catching on, with varieties like the BrazelBerries series of blueberries and raspberries that thrive in containers.

For the urban gardener, Cohen says it’s a great way to have something fresh to eat right at your back door.

Troy Marden, of Nashville, Tennessee (http://troybmarden.com/) says foodscaping is becoming extremely popular, with edible varieties being incorporated into traditional landscapes rather than planted in separate kitchen plots.

Marden sees foundation shrubs such as Nandina (heavenly bamboo) being substituted with small blueberry bushes.

"With an increased awareness of industrial farming practices, Marden says young adults are more conscious of where their food comes from. Growing fresh food at home is becoming part of an everyday lifestyle.

Marden says naturalistic and meadow gardening are more popular than ever, with people becoming more aware of the plight of bees and butterflies. Gardeners are planting milkweed, the sole food source for Monarch larvae, and incorporating natives to support pollinating insects.

For those who enjoy minimal effort, Marden says foodscaping provides a much more casual approach rather than hands-on, intensive gardening.

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