Foodscaping is a modern term for the practice of integrating edible plants into ornamental landscapes. It is also referred to as edible landscaping and has been described as a crossbreed between

landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal ...

and

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

.Waterford, Douglas. ''21st Century Homestead: Urban Agriculture''. Lulu, 2015. As an ideology, foodscaping aims to show that edible plants are not only consumable but can also be appreciated for their aesthetic qualities. Foodscaping spaces are seen as multi-functional landscapes which are visually attractive and also provide edible returns.Brown, Sydney P. "Edible Landscaping". ''The'' ''Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences'', 2016, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP14600.pdf. Accessed 12 April 2020. Foodscaping is a great way to provide fresh food in an affordable way. Differing from conventional vegetable gardening, where fruits and vegetables are typically grown in separate, enclosed areas, foodscaping incorporates edible plants as a major element of a pre-existing landscaping space. This may involve adding edible plantations to an existing ornamental garden or entirely replacing the traditional, non-edible plants with food-yielding species. The designs can incorporate various kinds of vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, edible flowers, and herbs, along with purely ornamental species. The design strategy of foodscaping has many benefits, including increasing

food security Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World ...

, improving the growth of nutritious food and promoting sustainable living. Edible landscaping practices may be implemented on both public and private premises. Foodscaping can be practiced by individuals, community groups, businesses, or educational institutions. Villandry - château, potager (03)

The practice of foodscaping is believed to have gained popularity in the 21st century for several reasons. Some accounts claim that the rise of foodscaping is due to the volatility of global

food prices Food prices refer to the average price level for food across countries, regions and on a global scale. Food prices have an impact on producers and consumers of food. Price levels depend on the food production process, including food marketing ...

and the

financial crisis of 2007–2008 Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fi ...

. However, other accounts suggest that the spike in foodscaping popularity is linked to urbanization and increasing concerns for environmental sustainability.

Origins

Overview

It is unknown who first coined the expression foodscaping. The term and ideology of foodscaping have been around since the late 20th century, yet have only come into popular use during the 21st century. Despite the modernity of the term foodscaping, the strategy of integrating edible plants into

spaces is not a new concept. Similar practices date back to ancient and medieval gardening and agricultural techniques.Çelik, Filiz D. "The Importance of Edible Landscape in the Cities". ''Turkish Journal of Agriculture – Food Science and Technology,'' vol. 5, no. 2, 2017, pp.118–24, doi:10.24925/turjaf.v5i2.118-124.957. Accessed 19 March 2020. Foodscaping as a contemporary theory presents "a modern take on the way that past generations utilized land". Unlike most historical horticultural practices, foodscaping explicitly supports the idea that edible landscapes can be just as aesthetically pleasing as purely decorative landscapes. Foodscaping advocates attempt to subvert the conventional perception of vegetable gardens as unattractive and instead view

edible crops A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydroponic ...

as design features in and of themselves. It is sometimes believed that this ideology emerged from increasingly experimental approaches to gardening and

in the modern era.

Historical precedents of foodscaping

Edible landscaping techniques that were practiced in different historical cultures and periods can be seen as ancestors of foodscaping. In

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

, Roman villa gardens were often both productive and ornamental, though

agricultural production Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

was the primary purpose of earlier villa gardens. Archaeological research suggests that these

Roman gardens Roman gardens and ornamental horticulture became highly developed under Roman civilization, and thrived from 150 BC to 350 AD. The Gardens of Lucullus (''Horti Lucullani''), on the Pincian Hill in Rome, introduced the Persian garden to Europe a ...

took on various forms such as large

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...

landscapes or small

herb gardens The traditional kitchen garden, vegetable garden, also known as a potager (from the French ) or in Scotland a kailyaird, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden – the ornamental plants and lawn areas. It is used for grow ...

. Kitchen gardens, vineyards, and

orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of ...

s played an important role in the lives of ancient Romans, whose diets were largely based on

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

s and vegetables.Jashemski, Wilhelmina F., et al., editors. ''Gardens of the Roman Empire''. Cambridge University Press, 2017, doi: doi.org/10.1017/9781139033022. Accessed 18 March 2020. In

Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica ...

n culture, elaborate gardens and horticultural gardens were a pleasure of

Aztec The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...

elites. Flowering, fragrant and medicinal plants were believed to be "perquisites of the lords". According to historical letters written by Aztec nobles, impressive gardens often included bright flower beds,

fruit tree A fruit tree is a tree which bears fruit that is consumed or used by animals and humans — all trees that are flowering plants produce fruit, which are the ripened ovaries of flowers containing one or more seeds. In horticultural usage, t ...

s, herbs, and sweet-smelling

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s. Groves, orchards, and

water garden Water garden or aquatic garden, is a term sometimes used for gardens, or parts of gardens, where any type of water feature is a principal or dominant element. The primary focus is on plants, but they will sometimes also house waterfowl, or orn ...

s were sometimes incorporated into the designs of the more elaborate gardens.Evans, Susan Toby. "Aztec Royal Pleasure Parks: Conspicuous Consumption and Elite Status Rivalry.” ''Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes'', vol. 20, no. 3, Taylor & Francis Group, Sept. 2000, pp. 206–28, doi:10.1080/14601176.2000.10435621. Accessed 1 June 2020. Another ancient precedent to foodscaping can be found in

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

. Babylonians and Assyrians created gardens throughout cities and in palace courtyards that were a representation of Paradise. These featured fragrant trees and edible fruits. Archaeological evidence suggests that, in roughly 1000 BCE, Assyrian Kings developed a naturalistic landscape style in which streams of water ran through gardens that grew plants such as junipers, almonds, dates, rosewood, quince, fir pomegranate, and oak.Dalley, Stephanie. "Ancient Mesopotamian Gardens and the Identification of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon Resolved." ''Garden History'', vol. 21, no. 1, Garden History Society, July 1993, pp. 1–13, doi:10.2307/1587050. Accessed 1 June 2020. During the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

era, villa and chateau gardens in Europe often yielded fruit and vegetables to sell locally. The profits were used to support the maintenance costs of the villa or chateau. Some of the common kinds of plants integrated into the elaborate Renaissance garden designs included

figs The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...

pears Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...

apples An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

, strawberries, cabbage, leeks,

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onio ...

s, and

pea The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...

s. It is believed that English

cottage garden The cottage garden is a distinct style that uses informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. English in origin, it depends on grace and charm rather than grandeur and formal structure. Ho ...

s were originally created by village workers during Elizabethan times as a personal source of vegetables.

Flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s were also planted within these gardens for ornamental purposes.Scott-James, Anne. ''The Cottage Garden''. Allen Lane, 1981.

Recent trends

Urban growth

As a result of rapid urbanization seen in recent decades, methods of

food production The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditiona ...

have undergone significant change.Karaca, Elif. "Edible Landscapes as a Solution to Food Security Problem". ''Theory and Practice in Social Sciences'', edited by Viliyan Krystev, et al., St. Kliment Ohridski University Press, 2019, pp. 227–36. According to

the United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...

, the Earth's

urban population An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, ...

has "grown rapidly from 746 million in 1950 to 3.9 billion in 2014". These accelerated trends in urbanization and population density during the late 20th and 21st century have placed stress on the availability of agricultural land and contributed to growing

food insecurity Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World ...

. As a result, there has been an increased desire to re-introduce food growth into

urban environments An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, t ...

. The ongoing rise in the human population, as well as international goals to reduce hunger and

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues ...

, have further escalated the demand for food nutrients. It is believed that these factors have increased the number of people adopting foodscaping strategies.

Sustainability

Food security

Foodscaping is widely accepted as a way of increasing

, availability, and accessibility. The instability of supermarket food prices can largely affect the availability of food. As "self-sufficient food systems", edible landscapes are able to help decrease a household's dependence on imported food. Foodscaping provides these households with access to a sustainable food source, even when faced with unpredictable circumstances such as the inability to procure food from commercial stores or periods of low financial income. Depending on the size and scale of the premise, there can be significant financial costs involved in the initial design and creation of edible landscaping.Conway, Tenley M. "Home-based Edible Gardening: Urban Residents' Motivations and Barriers". ''Cities and the Environment'', vol. 9, no. 1, 2016, article 3, pp. 1–21. ''Digital Commons'', digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol9/iss1/3/. Accessed 4 April 2020. However, it is still generally accepted that foodscaping can help to lower food costs once the products of the edible plants have been harvested. In increasing the quantity of locally grown and consumed produce, foodscaping also promotes local food sustainability.Arthur, Brie. ''The Foodscape Revolution: Finding a Better Way to Make Space for Food and Beauty in Your Garden.'' Pennsylvania, St. Lynn’s Press, 2017. It is also believed that foodscaping can help to address the demand for food within the context of global issues such as

overpopulation Overpopulation or overabundance is a phenomenon in which a species' population becomes larger than the carrying capacity of its environment. This may be caused by increased birth rates, lowered mortality rates, reduced predation or large scal ...

, an unpredictable climate and waning energy resources.Tovey, Nina. "Grow food not lawns with the fertile world of foodscaping". ''Endeavour College of Natural Health'', 10 November 2014, www.endeavour.edu.au/about-us/blog/grow-food-not-lawns-with-the-fertile-world-of-foodscaping/. Accessed 16 April 2020.

Energy and waste management

Large-scale agricultural premises typically require large amounts of energy, such as the use of

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...

, propane, and electricity to carry out farming operations. The practice of edible landscaping often uses less energy and produces less

waste Waste (or wastes) are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product, by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor economic value. A waste prod ...

than traditional methods of food production. This is because the food products cultivated from edible landscaping usually involve little

processing Processing is a free graphical library and integrated development environment (IDE) built for the electronic arts, new media art, and visual design communities with the purpose of teaching non-programmers the fundamentals of computer programming ...

, packaging or

refrigeration The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, ht ...

. Foodscaping can also help reduce

food miles Food miles is the distance food is transported from the time of its making until it reaches the consumer. Food miles are one factor used when testing the environmental impact of food, such as the carbon footprint of the food. The concept of ...

by decreasing the need for long-distance transportation of food. "A grocery store has on average 1,500 miles per product", says horticulturalists and foodscaping advocate Brie Arthur. These ship and truck

emissions Emission may refer to: Chemical products * Emission of air pollutants, notably: **Flue gas, gas exiting to the atmosphere via a flue ** Exhaust gas, flue gas generated by fuel combustion ** Emission of greenhouse gases, which absorb and emit rad ...

leave a harmful carbon footprint which could be reduced through the practice of growing edible plants at home instead of buying fresh produce. Foodscaping can further allow participants to help reduce the use of fossil fuel-based pesticides and

fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

s which negatively impact the environment.

Health and nutrition

A common motivation behind foodscaping is the desire to grow, cook and consume foods of high

nutritious Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient nu ...

content.Eastman, Janet. "Change out plants for ones you can eat: 'Foodscaping' edible landscape". ''The Oregonian/Oregon Live'', 31 July 2015, www.oregonlive.com/hg/2015/07/edible_landscape_charlie_nardo.html. Accessed 16 Apr. In a 2014 research survey conducted by the Australian Institute, 71% of surveyed foodscaping households in Australia were incorporating edibles into their gardens for the primary purpose of having access to fresh, healthier produce. It is generally accepted that homegrown fruits and vegetables are fresher and more nutritious than supermarket produce, which is sometimes sold multiple days or even weeks after harvesting.Spellman, Frank R., & Joan Price-Bayer. ''Regulating Food Additives: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly''. Rowman & Littlefield, 2019. In recent years, there has been increasing concern expressed towards the health effects of the chemical additives and preservatives in commercially grown fruit and vegetables. Foodscaping has been considered a way to reduce exposure to chemically modified produce. Edible landscaping allows participants to increase fresh food production in urban areas. In these areas, the most accessible kinds of food are typically processed kinds, which can lead to greater dietary intakes of sugar,

sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...

and fat. Many academic studies have inferred strong links between urban gardening and healthy lifestyle choices. The gardening practices involved in foodscaping are believed to increase participants' fruit and vegetable consumption and the value of preparing nutritious meals.Garcia, Mariana T., et al. "The impact of urban gardens on adequate and healthy food: a systematic review". ''Public Health Nutrition'', vol. 21, no. 2, Feb. 2018, pp. 416–25, doi:10.1017/S1368980017002944. Accessed 16 April 2020.

Maintenance

Input

Depending on the scale of the edible landscape, foodscaping may require extra time and manual labour to maintain than a regular garden or landscape. This is as the aim of foodscaping is to yield edible returns whilst also remaining aesthetically pleasing, which may involve added watering,

fertilization Fertilisation or fertilization (see spelling differences), also known as generative fertilisation, syngamy and impregnation, is the fusion of gametes to give rise to a new individual organism or offspring and initiate its development. Proce ...

pest control Pest control is the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest; any animal, plant or fungus that impacts adversely on human activities or environment. The human response depends on the importance of the damage done and will range ...

and

pruning Pruning is a horticultural, arboricultural, and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. The practice entails the ''targeted'' removal of diseased, damaged, dead, ...

. A lack of time and unsuitable conditions such as

climate Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologi ...

and insufficient shade can be significant deterrents for people wishing to create edible landscapes. However, maintenance requirements can be reduced by choosing

plant species Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms ''gut flora'' or ''skin flora''. Ety ...

that are suited to the geographic location, climate and conditions of the area to be foodscaped.

Harvesting

During certain times of the year, regularly monitoring the ripeness of food production is a requirement of successful foodscaping. If fruits are not harvested at the correct time, they may rot and become visually unappealing within an edible landscape. This may also attract undesired pests or

vermin Vermin ( colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops or livestock. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterp ...

Plants

Row of Swiss Chard at Phipps Conservatory

Plants in foodscaping designs are typically chosen for their aesthetic and edible appeal. There are many vegetables which can add colour to foodscaping spaces.

Swiss chard Chard or Swiss chard (; ''Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'', Cicla Group and Flavescens Group) is a green leafy vegetable. In the cultivars of the Flavescens Group, the leaf stalks are large and often prepared separately from the leaf blade; ...

, cabbage and lettuce species come in many colourful varieties, making them a popular choice for foodscaping. Edible flowers, such as

carnations ''Dianthus caryophyllus'' (), commonly known as the carnation or clove pink, is a species of '' Dianthus''. It is likely native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years.M ...

, marigolds,

cornflowers ''Centaurea cyanus'', commonly known as cornflower or bachelor's button, is an annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to Europe. In the past, it often grew as a weed in cornfields (in the broad sense of "corn", referring to gra ...

and pansies can also be used to add decoration and brightness to an edible landscape. Garden writer Charlie Nardozzi suggests that lemon, apple, plum and cherry trees can serve as edible alternatives for ornamental trees. He also proposes that blueberry,

elderberry ''Sambucus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly called elder or elderberry. The genus was formerly placed in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, but was reclassified as Adoxaceae due to ge ...

and gooseberry plants can substitute popular decorative shrubs such as

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

hydrangea ''Hydrangea'', () commonly named the hortensia, is a genus of over 75 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Korea, and Japan. Most are shrubs tall, ...

s and privet hedges. Alpine strawberries and

chives Chives, scientific name ''Allium schoenoprasum'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae that produces edible leaves and flowers. Their close relatives include the common onions, garlic, shallot, leek, scallion, and ...

have also been suggested as suitable replacements for non-edible flowering plants.Nardozzi, Charlie. ''Foodscaping: Practical and Innovative Ways to Create an Edible Landscape.'' Massachusetts, Cool Springs Press, 2015. Edible landscapes generally consist of a combination of

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

and

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

plants. When planning an edible landscape, it is important to be aware that certain plants require particular environmental conditions. One should also consider the seasonality of the edible plants being used, meaning the time of the year during which a certain species will grow best. Cool season crops require lower temperatures for growth and

seed germination Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore. The term is applied to the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm, the growth of a sporeling from a spore, such as the spores of fungi, fern ...

, whilst warm season crops are plants that thrive in higher

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...

and air temperatures. In hot climates, the ideal plants for foodscaping are those that require little water, such as beans, spinach and

broccoli Broccoli (''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''italica'') is an edible green plant in the cabbage family (family Brassicaceae, genus ''Brassica'') whose large flowering head, stalk and small associated leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Broccoli is cla ...

. Whilst certain fruit trees,

berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...

and rhubarb are suitable for cooler climates,

root vegetables Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl ...

, cabbages and

s are examples of plants that cope well in extremely cold conditions."5 reasons to try foodscaping your lawn". ''Save on Energy'', 1 June 2020, https://www.saveonenergy.com/learning-center/post/4-reasons-to-try-foodscaping-your-lawn/. Accessed 2 June 2020. File:Beetroot Bettolo Capel Manor Enfield London England.jpg, alt=Beetroot (beta vulgaris), Beetroot (''

Beta vulgaris ''Beta vulgaris'' (beet) is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Betoideae of the family Amaranthaceae. Economically, it is the most important crop of the large order Caryophyllales. It has several cultivar groups: the sugar beet, of gr ...

'') File:Cabbage plant.jpg, alt=Cabbage (brassica oleracea var. capitata), Cabbage ( ''Brassica oleracea var. capitata'') File:Tomatoes on the Vine (Unsplash).jpg, alt=Tomato vine (solanum lycopersicum), Tomato vine ( ''Solanum lycopersicum'') File:Capsicum annuum var. Fiesta - MHNT.jpg, alt=Chili peppers (capsicum annuum), Chili peppers (''

Capsicum annuum ''Capsicum annuum'' is a species of the plant genus ''Capsicum'' native to southern North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The spec ...

'') File:Salvia rosmarinus (10-04-2020), vue en gros plan.jpg, alt=Flowering rosemary (salvia rosmarinus), Flowering rosemary ( ''Salvia rosmarinus'') File:Plums.jpg, alt=Plum (prunus domestica), Plum (''

Prunus domestica ''Prunus domestica'', the European plum is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. A deciduous tree, it includes many varieties of the fruit trees known as plums in English, though not all plums belong to this species. The greengag ...

'') File:Single raspberry on bush.jpg, alt=Raspberry (rubus idaeus), Raspberry (''

Rubus idaeus ''Rubus idaeus'' (raspberry, also called red raspberry or occasionally European red raspberry to distinguish it from other raspberry species) is a red-fruited species of ''Rubus'' native to Europe and northern Asia and commonly cultivated in othe ...

'') File:Calendula flower orange-yellow.jpg, alt=Calendula flower (calendula officinalis), Calendula flower (''

Calendula officinalis ''Calendula officinalis'', the pot marigold, common marigold, ruddles, Mary's gold or Scotch marigold, is a flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is probably native to southern Europe, though its long history of cultivation makes its ...

'') File:Tagetes-Marigold-Flower 04.jpg, alt=Marigold flower (tagetes erecta), Marigold flower (''

Tagetes erecta ''Tagetes erecta'', the Aztec marigold, Mexican marigold, big marigold, ''cempazúchitl'' or ''cempasúchil'', is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Tagetes'' native to Mexico. Despite being native to the Americas, it is often called the ...

'') File:Chamomile@original size.jpg, alt=Camomile flower (matricaria chamomilla), Camomile flower (''

Matricaria chamomilla ''Matricaria chamomilla'' (synonym: ''Matricaria recutita''), commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile (kamilla), wild chamomile, blue chamomile, or scented mayweed, is an annual plant of the co ...

'') File:Cornflower.jpg, Cornflower ('' Centaurea cyanus'') File:Viola tricolor pansy flower close up.jpg, alt=Pansy flower (viola tricolor var. hortensis), Pansy flower ( ''Viola tricolor var. hortensis'')

Examples of foodscaping

People

Landscape designer and author Rosalind Creasy has frequently been named the "pioneer of edible landscapes" in gardening-related media and publications. Since the 1970s, she has written over twenty books on the topic of edible landscaping. One of her most influential works in the field of foodscaping is her book ''The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping'', published in 1982. Brie Arthur is an American professional

horticulturalist Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

who has been noted as a public advocate for the practice of suburban foodscaping.Jackson, Lynn. "Gardening: Foodscapes – where beauty co-exists with bounty". ''Richmond Times'', 10 March 2018, https://www.richmond.com/gardening-foodscapes----where-beauty-co-exists-with/article_d0354510-7fc1-5812-8fb0-60f9285f9b26.html. Accessed 20 April 2020. In order to challenge the idea that ornamental landscapes can't involve edible plants, she has spoken publicly at schools, worked with television programs, and been involved in various horticulture-related associations.Drotleff, Laura. "Foodscaping Challenges Conventional Ideas About Landscaping". ''Greenhouse Grower'', 9 December 2015, www.greenhousegrower.com/management/foodscaping-challenges-conventional-ideas-about-landscaping/. Accessed 16 April 2020. Her debut book titled ''The Foodscape Revolution, Finding a Better Way to Make Space for Food and Beauty in Your Garden'' was published in 2017.

Public projects

The Ornamental Kitchen Garden is an edible landscape on the grounds of the château of Villandry, located in the Loire Valley region of France. The Italian Renaissance-style garden is composed of nine square patches, which each feature a geometric design of

s and vegetables whose design layouts changes with each bi-annual planting. These patches are lined with neat box hedges and each display vegetables of different colours such

red cabbage The red cabbage (purple-leaved varieties of ''Brassica oleracea'' Capitata Group) is a kind of cabbage, also known as Blaukraut after preparation. Its leaves are colored dark red/purple. However, the plant changes its color according to the pH ...

, beetroot and blue leek. Each year, forty species of vegetables within eight plant families are planted."The Kitchen Garden". ''Chateau and gardens of Villandry'', https://www.chateauvillandry.fr/en/project/the-kitchen-garden/. Accessed 20 May 2020. Based in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

, Backyard Abundance is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 that aims to educate more people about edible landscaping. They encourage community residents to take part in creating transformative landscapes that can help to reduce

human impact on the environment Human impact on the environment (or anthropogenic impact) refers to changes to biophysical environments and to ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources caused directly or indirectly by humans. Modifying the environment to fit the need ...

. Founded in

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

, 2006, Edible Estates is a foodscaping initiative that works with local art institutions and community garden groups in different cities around the world to create productive edible landscape designs.Oberst, Lindsay. "Edible Landscapes: 15 Organizations Around the World That Are Helping Turn Green Spaces and Yards into Places for Healthy, Fresh Food". ''Food Revolution Network'', 12 September 2018, https://foodrevolution.org/blog/edible-landscaping/. Accessed 29 May 2020. Edible Landscapes London is a non-profit organization that creates productive

forest gardening Forest gardening is a low-maintenance, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly us ...

spaces that integrate fruiting trees and herbs. They created the first-ever accredited course which trains people in forest gardening practices. According to Lindsay Oberst in an article on Food Revolution Network, Edible Estates "strives to inspire others to look at underused or misappropriated green spaces in a new light, highlighting new contexts for

and connections to the

natural environment The natural environment or natural world encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally, meaning in this case not artificial. The term is most often applied to the Earth or some parts of Earth. This environment encompasses ...

". NYU's Urban Farm Lab is a collaborative

urban agriculture Urban agriculture, urban farming, or urban gardening is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas. It encompasses a complex and diverse mix of food production activities, including fisheries and fo ...

project promoting the integration of edible crops into

. They have implemented foodscaping techniques in many spots around the university's campus.Kirschner, Kylie. "Edible Landscapes in a Concrete Jungle". ''Washington Square News'', 24 Mar 2019, nyunews.com/culture/dining/2019/03/25/nyu-urban-landscaping-efforts/. Accessed 16 March 2020. The Eden Project is a sustainability project in

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, England, which attracts over a million yearly visitors. The 15-hectare site features large domes and a food garden, where edible produce has been incorporated into the landscaping design. The Food Forest is a property in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, Australia, which grows 160 varieties of organic fruit, nuts, wheat, and vegetables on 15 hectares of land. The owners educate visitors on how ordinary families can grow their own food at home by creating productive foodscapes. The

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

’ first "roof field" was created on top of a large office building near Rotterdam's central station in 2012 by Binder Groenprojecten. The 1000m² "roof field" is used to grow vegetables, fruits, and Herbs, and also houses honeybees.Sjauw En Wa, Amar. "Roof fields, Schieblok Rotterdam". ''Urban Green-Blue Grids'', www.urbangreenbluegrids.com/projects/roof-fields-schieblok-rotterdam/. Accessed 5 May 2020. Wayward is a

, art and architecture firm based in London who combine creative food growing with

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...

and architecture installations.

References

{{Sustainability Urban agriculture Horticulture Sustainability Permaculture Sustainable agriculture