Edible landscaping is exactly what it sounds like - planting edible plants in your yard instead of purely decorative plants. In introducing the topic she mentioned that long ago, common folk only planted edible foods on their property. It was the aristocracy that had elaborate flower gardens and big lawns to be enjoyed visually - It was a way to show off how well-to-do you were. After various revolutions, the idea of planting flowers and shrubs purely for visual interest became pretty common for every day people who could now flex their improving social status and depend on buying produce at the market. I would go on to say that the creation of post WWII suburbia got the front yard, particularly the grass lawn, to be seen as an ideal of prosperity. When I was teaching English in China a few years back my students told me about the "Chinese Dream" which was to find a good job, buy a car, own a house with a lawn, and be "lucky in love". Given the population of China, I don't know that it would be possible for everyone to have a house with a lawn, but it was interesting that having a yard with a lawn was seen as something to aspire to.
Despite the fact that people bring their own bags to the store, re-use water vessels instead of buying bottled water and fill their cars with bio-fuel, why are people so hesitant to get rid of their front lawns? If you watch a new house being built, you always see grass seed or turf put down in the front yard as if no one would ever consider not having a sea of green leading to their door. This is funny when you start to think about what a major drag it can be to mow the lawn when there are other things to do. Not to mention the fuel that lawn mowers need and the noise pollution they create. Why is our society so lawn-centric? Are we still trapped in the 18th century mindset that your front yard should reflect your social status? If we were to grow food in front of our houses, would it throw people into a tizzy because they wouldn't have a highly visible indicator of where we are in the social hierarchy?
I think of my Grandpa Muetzenberg when I think about edible landscaping. When I was growing up my parents would plant a vegetable garden in the back yard each year. The front yard was reserved for the decorative flowers and shrubs, purely for aesthetics. I would always be so excited about the flowering plants like snapdragons and Shasta daisies, but I distinctly remember my Grandpa replying, "You can't eat flowers." when we would tell him about our plantings. I used to think that was so harsh! Why couldn't he appreciate the beauty of bright cheerful colors making your home look inviting? What a grump! But now I think I understand. He was ten years old when the Great Depression started and grew up thinking about where his meals would come from. What Grandpa did get excited about were home grown vegetables, berries and fruit. When he would visit in the summer we would pick blackberries, blueberries and cherries and make pies. With a Beefeater martini in hand, he would take a tour of the garden and admire the size of the plants. He saw the beauty in knowing exactly where your dinner was coming from.
My interest in knowing where my food is coming from (Thanks Family!) and avoiding the waste that accompanies packaged foods is what draws me to edible landscaping. To me, it just makes sense to maximize what you can grow for your own use and share with others. And most edible plants are gorgeous! Blueberries have beautiful leaves that change color in the fall. Sunflowers and tomatoes can add the color that I crave around a home. Swiss chard has those great bright yellow, orange, red veins that makes it look festive next to other plants. Some day when I'm a grown up and own a house, I'll have a fully edible yard. And I'll have you all over for dinner.
I think of my Grandpa Muetzenberg when I think about edible landscaping. When I was growing up my parents would plant a vegetable garden in the back yard each year. The front yard was reserved for the decorative flowers and shrubs, purely for aesthetics. I would always be so excited about the flowering plants like snapdragons and Shasta daisies, but I distinctly remember my Grandpa replying, "You can't eat flowers." when we would tell him about our plantings. I used to think that was so harsh! Why couldn't he appreciate the beauty of bright cheerful colors making your home look inviting? What a grump! But now I think I understand. He was ten years old when the Great Depression started and grew up thinking about where his meals would come from. What Grandpa did get excited about were home grown vegetables, berries and fruit. When he would visit in the summer we would pick blackberries, blueberries and cherries and make pies. With a Beefeater martini in hand, he would take a tour of the garden and admire the size of the plants. He saw the beauty in knowing exactly where your dinner was coming from.
My interest in knowing where my food is coming from (Thanks Family!) and avoiding the waste that accompanies packaged foods is what draws me to edible landscaping. To me, it just makes sense to maximize what you can grow for your own use and share with others. And most edible plants are gorgeous! Blueberries have beautiful leaves that change color in the fall. Sunflowers and tomatoes can add the color that I crave around a home. Swiss chard has those great bright yellow, orange, red veins that makes it look festive next to other plants. Some day when I'm a grown up and own a house, I'll have a fully edible yard. And I'll have you all over for dinner.
How nice. Maybe you can come to my house and plant something for me! Of course it might be dead after a few weeks, so you'll have to keep coming back, but I'd like an edible yard too! Glad to hear that I'm not the only family member addicted to talk radio!
ReplyDeleteI agree that if I spent as much time in my vegetable garden as I do mowing the lawns it would result in a more useful end product. Grandpa would be proud to know his comments were listened to and understood.
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