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Landscape Blog
08/05/09
The Tasty Landscape
Two summers ago, I grew some strawberries in a container on the corner
of my patio. Usually, I keep them relegated to the designated fenced-in
patch with the vegetable garden at the far end of the yard, but, I just
had a container growing bug in me for everything that summer. Well,
those vigorous little strawberry runners escaped from the pot and took
root in the turf along the edge of the patio. At first, I resisted. How
dare those strawberries invade my grass and then creep even further
into my perennial border along the side of the patio? They’re supposed
to be in the garden with the veggies, and things are just getting out
of control around here! But, lucky for them, my preference for leisure
(okay, call it downright laziness) and hatred for weeding saved them,
and now I have a nice little groundcover patch of strawberries by the
patio that look like they were meant to be there. And why not? Who
doesn’t like picking a handful of strawberries while sitting in a swing
on the patio having a cool drink? And the family dog appreciates a
sweet little snack now and then too when she beats me to a ripe one.
The point is why do we too often segregate our food-producing plants from our regular landscaping around the home? Strawberries make a pretty interesting groundcover with their shiny leaves and cute white flowers, and they’re darn hard to kill. Blueberry bushes can fit right into a sunny shrub border (amend the soil w/ a generous amount of peat moss when planting to make them happy), and they have really pretty fall leaf color in addition to the tasty, healthy fruit. Grapevines make a hardy, vigorous wall of green on a trellis or fence when screening a less than ideal view is necessary, and there are several grape varieties hardy to Minnesota that are terrific for fresh eating or even winemaking (if you’re a more ambitious gardener than I). Don’t forget the tomato plants in containers nearby your door so you can pick as soon as they’re ripe at the peak of freshness for salads, or herbs in a window box at your kitchen window to use for cooking! And oh, the fruit trees! Instead of trees that are just for looking at or for providing shade in the landscape, why not have trees that do double duty and provide some cherries or apples while they’re taking up valuable space in your yard! The edible possibilities are endless. Ask your local neighborhood garden center professionals for advice on which fruits and veggies might do well in your landscape, and stop being restricted by the traditional garden fence.
by Stephanie Girgen
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