Tuesday, March 6, 2012

An Edible Landscape


Before moving to Minnesota I would take walks around my desert southwest neighborhood with my daughter, and there was one house that always stood out from the rest for me.  The yard was landscaped in a way that set my imagination going.  It was absolutely beautiful without being manicured in the traditional fashion.

The house had an edible landscape.



I’m not talking edible like the home that Hansel and Gretel found in the woods after getting lost, although that certainly would’ve gotten my imagination going, as well!  Rather, the homeowner used every bit of space available to produce her own food in a sustainable manner.

In the front there were squash and herbs that were in perfect health.  There were various flowers set within the boundaries, as well.  This meant that the yard was teeming with life.  Bees and butterflies happily flew from one plant to the next, and the design radiated serenity.

I was never able to see into the backyard to discover what had been done there, but the edges that I could see were lined with trellises that supported even more food-bearing plants.  Rather than being upset because I couldn’t see the interior area, however, my imagination was fired up!  I imagined all sorts of wonderful fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

This house was a piece of inspiration for me.  If this person could create a small piece of edible paradise in a desert, then I could, too.

So, yeah.  It never actually happened.  I had my grapevines and raspberries, as well as basil, marjoram, and cilantro in abundance, but I never went beyond that.  My yard never even came close to being as wonderful as hers.

This year, however, I plan to change that.  This year, I will have an edible landscape.  Sure, I’m renting this home, so I won’t be able to reap harvests from plants that would take a while to mature (like grapes), but I’ll work with what I can.  Already, I’ve placed spinach and lettuce seeds in jiffy pots.  I have the carrot and onion seeds standing by, so that I can sow them directly into the soil.  There are other seeds, as well, patiently waiting for me to begin.

I may be on the opposite side of the country now, but that neighbor still serves as an inspiration for me.  Someday I’ll go back and thank her for it.

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