Edible Landscaping Plants

Kale

• Typically seen as an autumn ornamental, kale is a robust plant with big color and flavorful leaves. A member of the cabbage family, kale grows best during cooler seasons. Set plants out in early spring and in the fall to take advantage of cooler temperatures. As kale matures, clip leaves from the bottom of the plant for a nutritious addition to soups, stir-fry and salads. Leave the younger leaves intact for display in the garden. Kale varieties range in color from deep purple to red and shades of green and in leaf shapes from crinkled to rounded. Select varieties that complement your landscaping profile and color palette.

Currants

• The lacy leaves and arching branches of a currant bush give it an ornamental quality on par with shrubs and trees that don't produce food. In the spring, flat-topped clusters of small white flowers cover the bush, followed by clusters of red currants that are delicious fresh or made into juice and jelly. Locate currants in a sunny spot with well-drained soil and prune in the winter or very early spring to encourage higher fruit yields. Plant an individual currant bush as a specimen in your landscape or place several bushes in a row to create an unusual and attractive hedge.

Chives

• The grass-like, upright, hollow leaves on a clump of chives makes the plant an ideal substitute for ornamental grasses in borders and to edge a walkway or patio. In late spring, lavender puffs of tiny flowers bloom atop rigid stems. Both the flowers and chive leaves are edible, adding a light onion flavor to salads, vegetable dishes, meat and the classic favorite, baked potato with sour cream. Garlic chives with flat leaves, white flowers and a lightly pungent garlic taste bloom later in the summer. Chives are perennials that should be divided every 3 to 4 years to encourage vigor.

Rhubarb

• The massive leaves and red stems of rhubarb plants make a bold statement in a flowerbed mixed with other perennials or as a stand-alone specimen plant. The hardy perennial grows up to 3 feet high and 5 feet across when fully mature. Set the plant in a sunny location, with partial shade in heat of the day to protect the leaves from sunburn. Harvest rhubarb in the early summer by cutting the largest stems off at ground level and stripping away the leaves. Fresh rhubarb pies and rhubarb sauce to drizzle over desserts are the reward of nurturing this edible landscaping plant.