Landscaping for Lunch
by Mary Adams
The Murray’s backyard in Gainesville contains vegetables, fruit trees and herbs, as well as ornamentals and no grass. Photo by Mary Adams
What’s old is new again. Generations of Americans have looked to their own backyards, neighborhoods or local farmers to obtain fresh produce. Out of economic necessity, herb, fruit, and vegetable gardens were planted in public parks and private yards during both World Wars. They were called Victory Gardens.
Today, we have everything from edible flower arrangements to children’s pizza gardens — wagon-wheel-shaped vegetable gardens with each wedge dedicated to growing an ingredient used in making pizza. Veggies and herbs such as garlic, onion, basil, oregano, tomatoes and green peppers are commonly grown.
In big cities, there are rooftop gardens on skyscrapers. Smaller towns have community gardens, co-ops and even direct farmer-to-consumer online ordering.
For the homeowner who wants to harvest more than grass clippings, edible landscaping has become the next evolution. Whether there is a standard vegetable bed for seasonal produce or not, the edible landscape will contain perennial vegetables, fruits and herbs interspersed among ornamental plants.
An uninspired, demanding backyard is now an inviting oasis. Photo by Mary Adams
The reasons for wanting fresh produce are as varied as the methods. For those inclined to the culinary, it’s about peak flavors to delight the palate. For those with food allergies, it’s a matter of health. Others cite cost savings on their food budget.
The ecologically-conscious aim to reduce gas consumption. Most produce is shipped over 1,500 miles before it reaches your table. As much as 80% of its cost is due to transportation, packaging and storage. No matter the reason, today’s consumers agree: fresh is best.
Patsy Murray finally has a fig tree in her Florida yard. Photo by Mary Adams
One couple has taken this idea to a new level. Patsy and Gil Murray retired from Boston to Gainesville in 2008. Growing up in Virginia, Patsy recalled the joy of eating fresh figs from her own backyard. Gil grew up on a farm just outside of Boston.
Living on a standard-size lot in a manicured subdivision, the Murrays were content to conform to their homeowner association guidelines for their front yard. The backyard was another story. The view of grass from privacy fence to privacy fence was neither visually pleasing nor useful. And with Florida’s long lawn-cutting season, Gil was determined to have as little grass as possible to maintain.
When most people think of Florida, they think of citrus. The typical transplanted northerner buys an orange tree and plops it in the ground. Not Patsy. Her goal was “a landscape with a beautiful design, color, easy maintenance, little watering, edible perennials, environmentally friendly, and organic — that attracts birds and butterflies.”
Two local professionals, landscape designer Denise Weber from Green Harmony, Inc. and perennial vegetable garden expert Ryan Brouillard of Abundant Edible Landscapes, Inc., designed and implemented the backyard makeover. Weber oversaw the entire project, including general design for the backyard as well as recommendations for ornamental plants. Brouillard’s company was responsible for removing the old lawn and preparing the site for new plants, as well as for constructing raised beds.
A “Florida Friendly Yard” sign is displayed among native beach sunflowers. Photo by Mary Adams
After receiving approval from their homeowners’ association, the transformation began in March of 2009. No herbicides were used to kill the lawn. The Brouillard team began by tilling over the grass, adding organic amendments and covering the entire backyard with cardboard. The soil is enriched by the decomposing grass as well as by the earthworms that move in to devour the cardboard. (Make sure the cardboard overlaps and that all tape is removed.) Holes were then cut through the cardboard to install the smaller plants. (Plant trees and other large plants first, then place the cardboard around them.) Thick pine bark was used for both mulch and garden pathways.
Rain barrels supplement a micro-irrigation system. Photo by Mary Adams
Brouillard’s team also installed a micro-irrigation system and compost bins. Later Patsy added three rain barrels.
At first it looked sparse, as space was allowed for the mature size of the new plantings. By the end of summer things started to fill out. Today, Patsy’s desire to once again have a fig tree in her own backyard is finally realized. Other edible plants found here include pear, plum, tangerine, orange, Meyer lemon and persimmon, as well as pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana), Okinawa spinach, sweet potato, cranberry hibiscus, lemongrass, rosemary and culinary ginger.
Abundant Edible Landscapes also installed raised vegetable beds for annual crops such as lettuce, broccoli, bok choy, collards, onions, black-eye peas, green beans, squash, tomatoes and eggplant. An attached trellis is convenient for vining vegetables like green beans. Herbs such as cilantro, dill, mint, thyme, oregano, tarragon and basil complete this edible landscape.
Okinawa spinach grows in front of a hedge of cranberry hibiscus (black roselle). Photo by Mary Adams
In addition to the many edibles, ornamentals such as chaste tree, Indian hawthorne, abelia, knockout roses, firespike, plumbago, and ornamental peanut groundcover were utilized. Florida native plants include dahoon holly, saw palmetto, coontie and beach sunflower.
The Murrays renovated their backyard from an uninspired, demanding, feed-me, water-me and cut-the-grass-weekly lawn desert, to a suburban oasis of visual and culinary delight. The makeover was so successful that the Murray home was included in the fifth annual garden tour in Alachua County in September 2010, as an example of a Florida-Friendly Landscape™.
Why not grow something edible? It doesn’t have to involve your entire back yard. It can be as simple as a potted tomato plant or Malabar spinach growing on an old trellis. Grow a “garden of eat’n,” not just a “lawn for weed’n”!
Mary Adams earned her degree in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida, Gainesville.
© 2011 Mary Adams. Originally published in Florida Gardening, Aug / Sep 2011. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Further Reading
Edible Landscaping by Rosalind Creasy