Edible landscaping replaced ornamental plants with productive species — blueberry hedges instead of boxwood, fruit trees instead of Bradford pears, herbs instead of annuals.
The Philosophy
Why grow plants you can’t eat? Edible landscaping integrated food production into front yards, side yards, and ornamental beds. Examples: apple espaliers on fences, strawberry ground cover, artichoke as focal point, kale as ornamental border.
The movement challenged HOA regulations and lawn culture: “My front yard blueberry hedge is beautiful AND feeds my family.”
Aesthetic Edibles
Particularly attractive edibles: rainbow chard (colorful stems), purple basil, variegated sage, artichokes (architectural), curly kale, scarlet runner beans (red flowers), and fruiting shrubs (blueberries, raspberries, currants).
Pinterest boards from 2011 onward featured “foodscaping” designs blending vegetables, herbs, and flowers into cohesive landscapes.
Rosalind Creasy
Rosalind Creasy’s “Edible Landscaping” (1982, reissued 2010) became the bible. Her front yard edible garden in Los Altos, CA inspired thousands to rip out lawns and plant food.
Permaculture Overlap
Edible landscaping overlapped with permaculture: guilds (mutually beneficial plant groupings), perennial emphasis (fruit trees, asparagus, rhubarb), and ecological design.
Source
- Rosalind Creasy: “Edible Landscaping” (1982, reissued 2010)
- Mother Earth News: Edible Landscaping (September 2011)
- Pinterest peak: September 2011+