Creating a Permaculture-Inspired Edible Landscape

Edible landscaping can be an easy, low-maintenance way to grow food in the front yard. Learn some strategies for designing a permaculture-inspired edible landscape.

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In this article:

• Why landscape with edibles?
• How to landscape with intention
• My edible front yard
• 3 considerations before breaking ground in the edible landscape
• 4 design principles for visual appeal in the edible landscape
• Planting an edible foundation
• Planting strawberries in the edible landscape
• Creating a living privacy screen
• Planting vegetables in the edible landscape
• Creating annual color schemes in the edible landscape
• Adding herbs and flowers to the edible landscape
• Managing deer in the edible landscape
• Embracing permaculture in the edible landscape
• 7 FAQs about landscaping with edibles

Why Landscape with Edibles? A Permaculture Approach

Simply put: We can’t eat lawn. When I found out that lawn is the largest crop in the United States—and realized how abundant it is in the suburbs—I decided to give my yard a makeover!

With less than 2% of the American population farming (some sources say less than 1%), the suburbs are primed to lead the up-and-coming small “farm” movement.

Many suburbanites spend their weekends maintaining a traditional lawn and landscape. However, I believe they’re missing out on an opportunity to have life-giving landscape that provides beauty, ecological benefits, and edible yields.

Edible landscaping is a softer, gentler approach that combines traditional landscaping with micro-farming techniques and can also incorporate permaculture principles. It’s both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically friendly, embodying permaculture’s core ethics of Care for Earth, Care for People and Reinvest Surplus.

Although I have a particular fondness for a productive landscape, I also enjoy a beautiful one that attracts beneficial insects and is friendly to wildlife. This aligns well with permaculture’s emphasis on creating diverse ecosystems and supporting biodiversity.

Landscaping with Intention

My edible front yard is an intentional landscape designed with permaculture in mind. While developing and maintaining a lawn is relatively mind-numbing (not to mention potentially polluting), I’ve found that I’m more alive and engaged with the edible landscape.

For example, when the strawberries, cherries, or black raspberries ripen, it’s an exciting moment! Nothing in a traditional landscape is that exciting.

An edible landscape gives me a reason to interact with my neighbors, fostering community connections. While the usual dog walker or passerby will exchange niceties about the weather, the edible landscape gives us something interesting to talk about.

Edible Estates is a fantastic picture book of lawns across the U.S. that were replaced with a productive landscape. The book also explores the social aspects of having a productive front yard and the subsequent interactions with neighbors.

Landscaping with edibles is considered to be a new-ish trend, popularized in recent times by Rosalind Creasy, designer and author of the modern guide Edible Landscaping. However, landscaping with intention using edible plants has historical roots around the globe, including in English cottage gardens and even in ancient Persia. Edibles truly make supremely beautiful and useful landscapes.

My Edible Front Yard

After much trial and error, my beautiful, edible front yard now contains currant bushes, black raspberries, strawberries, cherry trees, and a variety of edible herbs and flowers. This diverse planting not only results in an abundant and tasty bounty, it also reflects permaculture’s emphasis on polycultures and mimicking natural ecosystems.

Below is a picture of our house before we purchased it, and after turning it into an edible landscape.

Take a (virtual) tour of both my front and backyard edible landscapes to see permaculture principles in action.

Learn more in my mini guide, The Permaculture Inspired Edible Landscape.

3 Things to Consider before Breaking Ground in the Edible Landscape

#1: Deer, Kids, and Dogs

What do they have in common? They all take the most direct path from point A to point B. If garden beds are easy to step in or walk through, then they probably will be by this bunch! Create diversions and obstacles that direct traffic away from prized plants.

When I planted edibles in the parking strip (between the sidewalk and street), I planned accordingly for the steady stream of traffic by dog walkers, kids on bikes, and parked-car passengers.

#2: Time

How much time do you have to commit to maintenance? Replacing lawn with an edible landscape could require more time to keep tidy. If time is not on your side, then consider only replacing the existing landscape with edibles while leaving the lawn intact.

Take it from me: Annual plants need more attention than perennials to retain an aesthetic appeal. When I began my edible landscape journey, I had no idea how much time I would need to keep the annual vegetables looking tidy and weed free!

Have a plan to fill the space after each harvest, or you’ll risk having empty spots. This is ultimately why I transitioned the edible front yard to contain mostly perennials.

#3: Money

A long-term landscape will be made up of mostly perennials, but a whole-yard makeover with perennials could be expensive. If you don’t mind bare ground for a while, starting plants from seeds or free cuttings will be much cheaper. It can also help you use available resources efficiently.

I built my landscape over several years to spread out the cost of buying plants. I also used fast-growing annuals to fill in the spaces until perennials reached their mature size, combining different plant types and growth stages.

Currant flowers are beloved by pollinators of all kinds, including bees and even hummingbirds.

4 Design Principles for Visual Appeal in the Edible Landscape

When designing an edible landscape, it’s important to think about the placement of plants in order to create balance, draw the eye toward featured plants and sections, as well as create order by grouping plants together in planned ways. The following are four design principles and some examples of how to put them to use.

#1: Simplicity

As a writer, I know that using fewer words to make a point is sometimes harder than writing more. However, when I take the time to edit down to the most essential points, my message is more balanced and clear. This is true in landscaping as well. Reducing the type and positioning of plants can ultimately result in a more elegant, cohesive, and easy-to-maintain edible landscape.

For example, replacing a foundation hedge with an edible one allows you to obtain a yield while maintaining aesthetic appeal. I replaced the traditional hedge of yew bushes lining my front porch with currant bushes. Balance remained in the landscape even though I changed the plant species. This resulted in an annual harvest of about 12 pounds of berries where there was previously none, while also attracting hummingbirds to the dainty flower clusters.

#2: Line

A line defines a space and connects people to the landscape. The line could be a curved walkway or a straight sidewalk along the edge of the garden—anywhere our eyes are drawn to follow a line or edge.

I used a rock border to define a curved raised bed from the remaining lawn, and it was a focal point that received a lot of compliments. In permaculture, we often use lines to capture and store energy, such as water or sunlight, and this rock border also serves as a heat sink.

A rock border frames the strawberry raised bed, while blocks of purple unify the garden.

#3: Unity

A unified grouping of plants creates order and attracts attention from both humans and beneficial insects. Group plants of the same type together rather than alternating them with other colors or textures.

I planted the flower garden with groups of bold colors as a backdrop to the edibles, creating a beautiful and functional ecosystem.

Read more about unity in the landscape.

#4: Emphasis

An emphasis is a focal point in the landscape that leaves little doubt where your eyes should focus. It often involves a vertical element such as a fountain, an obelisk or tuteur trellis, or a specimen tree that stands alone above the rest of the landscaping.

For an edible specimen tree, try a fruit tree instead of a Japanese maple, dogwood, or other common specimen tree. Lee Reich has some great ideas in his book Landscaping with Fruit.

Planting An Edible Foundation: Creating Productive Ecosystems

I selected red and black currant bushes to plant as my foundational hedge mentioned above because they’re shade tolerant and easy to grow. Additionally, they produce beautiful berries (red currants) or a pleasant fragrance when brushed against (black currants). Learn how to grow and use currant bushes.

I also planted black raspberries, which are easy to grow underneath the front windows because they’re shade tolerant and have a clumping habit (they won’t “walk” around the yard as much as other bramble berries). They’re also relatively easy to prune.

The red canes add color to the landscape in winter, the flowers bless the spring landscape, and the changing red-to-purple berries add beauty in early summer.

Other edible plants for foundation hedges: Try bush cherry, gooseberry, or rugosa rose, all of which can be pruned for tidiness. Aronia is considered a superfood berry and lovely, as well.

Creating an edible and diverse foundation with a few different shrubs also helps build resilient ecosystems.  

Hint: Many of these shrubs have made their way into my jelly garden, too!

Black raspberries are a great addition to the edible landscape because they “stay put” rather than “walk away” like other bramble fruits.

Planting Strawberries in the Edible Landscape: A Permaculture Staple

Strawberries are a permaculture staple due to their multiple functions and benefits.

And here’s what I’ve learned about strawberries: pretty much everyone loves them. They’re shareable and bring a smile to kids and neighbors alike.

I grow strawberries with flowering chives in my front yard because they’re extremely productive, don’t take up a lot of space, and make a nice ground cover.

Additionally, their deep roots can stabilize the slope and slow drainage, which is why I planted them in the berm that slows rainwater coming from the roof.

A strawberry harvest is a delicious reward and great for sharing, too!

In the edible landscape though, be wary: June-bearing strawberries create runners that “jump” out of the bed and “walk” away to plant themselves in pathways and other areas where you don’t want them.

Suddenly, the beautiful strawberry bed looks sparse. After a few years the bed will look empty. June-bearing plants are usually replaced every three years.

Instead, I prefer to plant ‘Seascape’ everbearing strawberries. Everbearing strawberries don’t produce as many runners, and I’ve found them to be much better for the edible landscape where I want plants to stay in their place permanently.

Many everbearing varieties are almost as large—and just as delicious—as June-bearing strawberries. The front yard strawberry patch yields about 15 pounds of berries each year!

Creating a Privacy Screen: Multi-functional Design

Living in suburban or urban environments, sometimes we need to create a little buffer for privacy. Edible plants can help create a living privacy screen that will last longer than a fence and create more biodiversity.

I planted dwarf cherry trees in my parking strip because their dense foliage created a seasonal, soft buffer between the street and front yard. This made it more enjoyable to sit on the front porch and admire the beauty.

In early spring, the white flowers add a cheerful beauty, while the bright red fruit looks like Christmas tree ornaments in early summer. But that’s not all! The glossy, peeling bark even offers interest in the winter.

I planted my cherry trees as fruit tree guilds, which is a key permaculture strategy to increase biodiversity and prevent pest problems.

My cherry trees in bloom in the parking strip

Planting Vegetables in the Edible Landscape

Growing vegetables can be tricky in the edible landscape because of their seasonal nature. This challenge provides an opportunity to apply permaculture principles creatively.

For example, one year I planted garlic in the front yard rain garden, and it was beautiful. I harvested it halfway through June. Then, I sowed winter squash seeds. I imagined the crop developing into a beautiful ground cover. However, multiple sowings never took hold.

This bed in the center of the front yard remained empty all season.

Garlic growing in the edible landscape

Root vegetables, which sometimes have trouble germinating in the summer heat, can also create problems in the edible landscape.

Suddenly it’s not only a question of whether I’ll get a harvest, but also how to quickly fill a bare spot. Because of this, I avoid single-harvest crops such as root vegetables altogether in the edible landscape.

Instead, I only plant vegetables in which the fruit or leaf is harvested, because the plant itself remains intact and continues to produce. This helps me obtain a yield throughout the season.

A few examples are cherry tomatoes (dwarf or container varieties) and peppers—both reliable in the edible landscape—as are cut-and-come-again leafy greens like Swiss chard, kale, and collard greens.

In fact, two of my favorite vegetable combinations are Swiss chard with sweet alyssum and kale with Johnny jump-ups.

Swiss chard growing with sweet alyssum makes a great border combination.

Creating Annual Color Schemes in the Edible Landscape: Beauty Meets Function

I’ve enjoyed giving my edible front yard an annual color scheme to not only create visual appeal but also support biodiversity and attract beneficial insects.

Here are some of the themes I’ve used. You can mix and match, too!

Purple: Red Russian kale, ‘Rosa Bianca’ eggplant, ‘Purple Beauty’ bell pepper, chives

Yellow: yellow chard, yellow bell peppers, yellow cherry tomatoes, yellow California poppies, calendula, sunflowers

White: garlic chives, oregano, sweet alyssum (whites mix well with other colors)

Red: cherry tomatoes, cayenne peppers, red chard, red California poppies, nasturtium

Green: basil, broccoli, kale, collards, parsley, sweet potato, zucchini

Many of these are some of my favorite flowers for the vegetable garden, as well!

Adding Herbs and Flowers to the Edible Landscape: Creating Beneficial Relationships

Herbs and flowers are among the easiest additions to the edible landscape. By simply replacing an ornamental flower garden with edible herbs and flowers, you can have beauty and function, too!

My favorite combos: dill with cosmos, bronze fennel with chamomile, green basil pairs well with most flowers

Herbs for fragrance: chamomile, lavender, sage, lemon balm, rose (plant these along a walkway)

Edible flowers: anise hyssop, calendula, chives, elderberry, lavender, johnny jump-ups, nasturtium, runner beans (attract pollinators, too!)

Dill and pink cosmos. Tip: Look for edible “sulfur” cosmos.

Planting Deer Resistant Edibles: Working with Nature

In permaculture, we aim to work with nature rather than against it. And tall deer fencing around the landscape negates the aesthetic appeal.

Sadly, there aren’t as many options for the edible landscaper in deer country. However, I prefer to landscape using perennials because sometimes “deer resistant” annual vegetables will suddenly become attractive to them for no apparent reason!

Take note that none of these deer resistant edibles are deer proof and should be protected, especially when young. Following are some potential deer-resistant plantings to try:

Deer resistant perennials: asparagus, fig, goumi, rhubarb, pawpaw

Deer resistant culinary herbs: chives, dill, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme

In addition to being deer resistant, many of these make my short list of favorite herbs for the medicine garden.

Deer resistant vegetables: cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes (Plant these at your own risk!)

To learn about creating a deer-deflecting hedge, check out my article, How to Plant a Hedgerow, as well as the permaculture-focused book, Gaia’s Garden.

Sage is a beautiful, deer-resistant landscape plant that is fragrant when brushed along a walkway.

Embracing Permaculture in the Edible Landscape

An edible landscape is a fulfilling project that will increase your yard’s productivity, biodiversity, and aesthetic appeal. Remember to observe your landscape, value diversity, and creatively use and respond to change. Applying these and other permaculture principles can also help you can create a resilient, productive, and beautiful edible landscape that works with nature rather than against it.

7 FAQs about landscaping with edibles

#1: Why should I consider edible landscaping?

Edible landscaping can be an easy way to grow food in your front yard. It combines traditional landscaping with micro-farming techniques and can also incorporate permaculture principles. It’s also both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically friendly.

#2: How can permaculture principles enhance my edible landscape?

Permaculture principles can help create a more resilient and productive landscape. For example, using diverse plantings mimics natural ecosystems, planting in guilds (like fruit tree guilds) increases biodiversity and prevents pest problems, and choosing perennial plants over annuals can create a more sustainable system. Observing your landscape, valuing diversity, and creatively responding to change are key permaculture principles that can guide your edible landscaping efforts.

#3: What should I consider before starting an edible landscape?

Three main considerations are: 1) Deer, kids, and dogs, 2) The time you can commit to maintenance, and 3) Your budget, as perennials can be more expensive initially but require less long-term care.

#4: How can I make my edible landscape visually appealing?

Use design principles such as simplicity (using fewer plant types for more cohesiveness), line (defining spaces with borders), unity (grouping similar plants together), and emphasis (using focal points such as specimen trees). You can also create color schemes with different vegetables and flowers to enhance visual appeal.

#5: What are some easy edible plants to start with in my landscape?

Some easy additions to an edible landscape include black raspberries, strawberries, and cherry trees. For the foundation, consider red or black currant bushes, which are shade tolerant and easy to grow. Herbs and flowers like dill, chamomile, lavender, and calendula are also simple to incorporate.

#6: How can I incorporate vegetables into my edible landscape?

Focus on vegetables where the fruit or leaf is harvested, as the plant remains intact and continues producing. Good options include dwarf or container varieties of cherry tomatoes, peppers, and cut-and-come-again leafy greens like Swiss chard, kale, and collard greens. Avoid single-harvest crops like root vegetables in prominent areas.

#7: Are there any deer resistant edible plants?

Yes, some deer resistant edible perennials include asparagus, fig, goumi, rhubarb, and pawpaw. Deer resistant culinary herbs include chives, dill, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Some vegetables like cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes are also somewhat deer resistant, but should be planted with caution.

What edible landscape combinations are your favorites?

READ NEXT:

• An Edible Landscape (Virtual) Tour
• How to Grow Edibles in a Parking Strip
• Swiss Chard and Sweet Alyssum: Winning Combination