A garden bursting with color, enchanting blooms and fascinating foliage can offer more than just looks.

From exquisite herbs to edible blossoms, gardeners can make the most out of their outdoor space with plants that taste as good as they look. With edible landscaping, you also can make better use of all the effort and resources that typically go into a lavish yard.

Whether working with a small patio or lots of acreage, the possibilities are endless when it comes to cultivating a sanctuary that’s both dazzling and delicious.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac advises starting small by choosing one or two plants that are both attractive and edible but not appealing to wildlife.

When crafting your edible landscape, consider:

• Color and contrast—plants like rainbow chard in a flower border or salad greens surrounding bright orange bulbs.
• Usefulness—A short-blooming peony or azalea could be replaced with a blueberry bush or rosemary plant.
• Structures—like a fence or small arbor could incorporate vining fruits that add year-round intrigue.
• Containers—If you’re working with limited space, select edibles suitable for containers like arugula, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, kale, leeks and sweet potato. Small hot pepper plants can be placed alongside brightly-hued flower containers of complementary colors.
   

The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers plenty of inspiration for plant selection, including:

• Highbush blueberries: These shrubs have bell-like flowers in the spring, fruit in the summer, colors ranging from gold to deep red in the fall, and twisty branches with unique bark in the winter.
• Raspberries and blackberries: Brambles are easy to grow and make great hedges. Thornless varieties of blackberries like Chester, Natchez and Navaho offer easier picking. Raspberries come in lots of colors including red, black and purple.
• Strawberries: According to Virginia Cooperative Extension, strawberries can thrive in many areas of Virginia and are great options for the home garden. Day-neutral varieties can even yield multiple crops in the early summer through fall.
• Pole beans: These work great as a quick cover and come in many varieties. According to Extension, scarlet runner beans are ornamental, productive and delicious. The lush 6- to 15-foot vines grow rapidly; can be used to cover arbors, trellises or fences; and produce beautiful red flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds, snap beans when young and green shell beans when mature.
• Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano can add intriguing foliage and scents to the garden. Rosemary and lavender work well as borders or clipped hedges, and thyme makes a great ground cover.
• Eggplants: Next to adding gorgeous color and texture, they tend to keep away the critters when mixed with scented flowers.
• Edible flowers: Many beautiful blossoms are safe to consume and add color and unique taste to salads, soups and baked goods. Ensure the flower is properly identified, nonpoisonous and pesticide-free before ingesting. Read more about edible flowers, their many uses and benefits, and important safety tips in Virginia Farm Bureau’s Cultivate magazine.

Visit The Old Farmer’s Almanac website for more information on edible landscaping.

For more tips on edible landscaping in Virginia, visit the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia YouTube channel. Search the Extension publications page for additional guidance on growing garden crops.

The Virginia Department of Forestry urges everyone to avoid introducing new invasive plants and always plant native species. Visit the DOF website for resources on invasive species that threaten Virginia’s forests and landscapes, including tools to help identify and combat these species.