Growing your own food continues to gain popularity, but planting and
tending vegetables every year certainly requires more effort than the
ease of maintaining a backyard full of well-established hardy
perennials. Now, with the help of this volume, gardeners can have the
best of both worlds by planning a garden full of edible perennials that
are both gorgeous and easy-to-maintain. From Akebia vine, with its
scented flowers and tasty purple-skinned seed pods, to shade-loving
Japanese Zingiber--there are so many options for Canadian gardeners
beyond the traditional veggie plot.
One hundred of the most notable trees, shrubs, vines and perennials are
highlighted for both their aesthetic and edible appeal, with each entry
including such information as ideal exposure, water needs, pollination
requirements, harvesting and food preparation suggestions.
More than just a listing of delicious plants, Extraordinary Ornamental
Edibles is also a comprehensive guide to the edible landscape as a
whole with sensible information about microclimates, pollinators, pests,
ecological concerns, organic gardening tips, container growing,
space-saving espaliers for small spaces, propagation, grafting, pruning,
and design essentials--such as selecting edible ground covers and
choosing plants for fall colour. Also included are culinary suggestions
and recipes for everything from herbal teas to tempura.
From cold-tolerant cultivars of exotic fruit such as the new hardy lemon
or yuzu, to surprising varieties of better-known garden staples, like
columnade apple trees suitable to growing in pots and blueberries that
bear pink fruit, this volume details the full range of unique and
exciting options, making it an inspiring and easy-to-reference A-to-Z
guide to growing extraordinary ornamental edibles across Canada.
