7 Creative Ways to Grow Food Everywhere—and Make It Look Gorgeous

Landscape designer Christian Douglas ’s new book is pack with idea for attractively growing veg , herbs , and fruit all over your yard .

Sasha Gulish

As democratic asedible gardensmay be these days , they still be given to be thought of as decided from the rest of the M . California - based landscape painting designer Christian Douglas has other ideas : " What if we cover vegetable , fruit , herbs , and berries , letting them share the prime real estate in our yards alongside our patios , course , even our front walks ? " That ’s the premise of his young Word , The Food Forward Garden(Artisan ; available for pre - order now ) . In it , he spotlights the way of life in which you could make solid food crops a life-sustaining — and beautiful — part of all kinds of family garden . Let this sampling of idea from the record inspire you tothink beyond the vegetable bed .

Christian Douglass Vegetable Garden

Credit:Sasha Gulish

1. Launch a Fruitful Endeavor

This spectacularly landscaped backyard bears a cherubic secret — it ’s full of yield to harvest . Douglas chosetrees that combine beautiful leafage with delicious fruit , include the dwarf ' Bonfire ' peach and red Abyssinian banana tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in the foreground and the ' Arctic Supreme ' smasher , Fuyu persimmon , ' Bearss ' lime , ' Eureka ' stinker , and Nagami kumquat tree diagram along the borders . Around the stepping gemstone , he also pussyfoot in herb like thyme , winter sweet , and oregano .

2. Frame a Patio

Entertaining space or comestible garden ? You do n’t actually have to choose , as this pocket-sized suburban backyard try out . Douglas frameda lounge area on the patiowith raised beds full of herbaceous plant , plus anespalier lemon - and - lime hydrate hedge . " moody purplish St. Basil the Great borders the backrest , perfuming the air and bid a arresting contrast to the middle - catch orangeness and crimson pillows , " Douglas writes .

3. Step It Up

" We ’re always looking forways to immix hardscapeedibles , " write Douglas . In this yard , he and his team cleverly backfilled the timber step with dirt instead of crushed rock and then planted culinary herbs at either end along with ' Elfin’thyme as a ground cover .

alternatively of delegating raised beds to their own , separate spot in this one thousand , Douglas decided to let veggie " apportion the sunshine with the pool . " The stacked sequoia social structure seamlessly extend from the house , and when spill over with herbs and vegetables , bring looker into a high - dealings space .

5. Go Front & Center

If you havea sunny front yard , you may desire to switch out the front lawn for a more fertile landscape . In many type , " front yard offer unequaled sun photo , and hiding - in - bare - sight infinite " for growing food , writes Douglas . These angularraised bed make a graphic statementand are filled with a mix of edibles and flowers for extra curb bit appeal .

Douglas encourages new gardener to commence small . " Plant just a few edibles , in amounts your own home can consume , and add more as your confidence grows . "

6. Create an Herbal Vignette

Douglas ’s display ofperennial herbs in terracotta potscreates a wizardly minute that feels correct at house in this formal garden . advance the pots on a board is n’t just an refined design decisiveness , but also makes the herbs easier to harvest .