Edible Landscapes

"Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.  Gardening is an instrument of grace."     

-Mary Sarton 

Want to save money on your grocery bills?

Want to invest in your landscape and increase your home value?

Looking for way to improve your health and benefit the environment at the same time?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then perhaps Edible Landscaping is for you.

I was recently asked to give a talk at the Spring Tonic Festival in Lenox this month (March 23, 2013) and I have had the great opportunity to spend some time learning about ways to incorporate Edible Plants into the design work that I do.

The best book that I have found is titled, Edible Landscaping:  Now You Can Have Your Gorgeous Garden and Eat It Too! by Rosalind Creasy. (Sierra Club Books-San Francisco)  

Rosalind is a landscape designer, garden writer and photographer, and leading authority on edible landscaping.

Book includes great color pictures, planting ideas, tips on how to design and much more.  Inspiring, informative and complete.

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Some points to consider before you get started.

1)  How much time/resources do you have to spend on your landscape?

2)  What are your soil conditions? pH level?  Get your soil tested.

3)  Right Plant-Right Place.  KEY FACTOR!  Site selection for your plants is critical

4)  Start small.  New gardeners have a tendency to plant too much to quickly.  Select 5-10 plants and get to know them very well.  

5)  Map out your yard-make some drawings of your entire landscape-get the bigger picture-and to help you identify what your priorities are.

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I have chosen 10 plants to focus on as a starting point.  I tried to select plants that were relatively easy to grow and that are  hardy for our growing zone (5) in Western Massachusetts.

1)  American Hazelnut

2)  Black Walnut Tree

3)  Butternut Tree

4)  Rhubarb

5)  Lavender

6)  Lemon Balm

7)  Apples

8)  Raspberries

9)  Chives

10)  Blueberries

If you go to my Facebook Business Page you will find a lot of useful information on the above plants.

I also provide soil testing services and landscape design planning and implementation.

Contact me today at 413-348-4505

Scott