Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. I personally
plant only what I can eat. Although I would not mind my spouse
devoting herself to planting flowers and whatnot, this is not
something that I see myself doing.

My question, rather, is, what varieties of plants that produce FOOD
can be planted in the FRONT yard.

Some things come to mind.

1. Sunflowers -- beautiful flowers that make nice seeds
2. Corn -- tall grass with some view blocking properties that looks
nice and is also obviously edible. Adds a rustic look to the area
3. Fruit trees -- great flowering in the spring and great looking
crops in the fall.

I am thinking of setting up a nicely decorated compost pile in the
front yard next year, and growing squash in it.

Any other ideas for food plants that look nice int he front yard?

i

I like rhubarb and strawberry plants in the front. Strawberry is a nice
groundcover, and rhubarb has pretty foilage. I've seen people grow tomatoes
as a border plant. Most herbs are very pretty. I've grown chives & garlic in
my front "flower" bed. Sage is a pretty shrub. Peas growing on a fence or
wire are also very pretty in bloom.

Maybe you should ask what you shouldn't grow in a front yard ;-)

I, personally don't know of any unsightly food plants. If you are creative,
you can make a very fun and pretty display. You could plant spinach in
clumps btween bush beans, and have an alternating display, or something
similar. Along the house, put taller plants in back, gradually getting
shorter as you plant forward. There are so many possibilities!

Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. BRBR

Do I hear a sniff of disdain here?
Flowering varieties of peas and squash. Opium poppies--usually not illegal
unless you harvest them. Dandelions--make wine of the flower heads. Morning
Glories if you enjoy hallucinogenics (read up on them first.) Flax, for the oil
(and the flowers).
zemedelec

Assuming you're in a part of the country that experiences winter, I
would recommend against annual crops in the front yard. Your front yard
will look like bare soil (or weeds) for more than half the year and your
neighbors may be upset (depending on your neighbors).

You might consider perennial crops. Fruit trees are common and can be
used as screens in the summer. Berries, particularly those that grow on
shrub-like bushes, can be attractive.

If appearances are a problem, you could plant a hedge at the front of
your yard to block the view of your crops. In that case the area used by
the hedge serves a function of a fence. It can reduce road noise. If the
hedge produces berries it can also feed wildlife.

When we first started farming, I had a similar bias toward food crops
over decorative crops. Then one year we grew winter squash and gourds.
Very similar crops. The winter squash brought in $.25/lb. The gourds
brought in $.99/lb. People are willing to pay for decorative items, but
food in this country is supposed to be cheap.

We now grow both food and pick-your-own flowers. The flowers are very
popular, and bring in more than the veggies in dollars/acre.


Ignoramus31046 wrote:
Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. I personally
plant only what I can eat. Although I would not mind my spouse
devoting herself to planting flowers and whatnot, this is not
something that I see myself doing.

My question, rather, is, what varieties of plants that produce FOOD
can be planted in the FRONT yard.

Some things come to mind.

1. Sunflowers -- beautiful flowers that make nice seeds
2. Corn -- tall grass with some view blocking properties that looks
nice and is also obviously edible. Adds a rustic look to the area
3. Fruit trees -- great flowering in the spring and great looking
crops in the fall.

I am thinking of setting up a nicely decorated compost pile in the
front yard next year, and growing squash in it.

Any other ideas for food plants that look nice int he front yard?

i

In article , tmtresh wrote:
I like rhubarb and strawberry plants in the front. Strawberry is a nice
groundcover, and rhubarb has pretty foilage. I've seen people grow tomatoes
as a border plant. Most herbs are very pretty. I've grown chives & garlic in
my front "flower" bed. Sage is a pretty shrub. Peas growing on a fence or
wire are also very pretty in bloom.

Yes, I will have strawberry in my front yard.

What can you do with rhubarb, food wise?

Maybe you should ask what you shouldn't grow in a front yard ;-)

I, personally don't know of any unsightly food plants.

how about potatoes

If you are creative,
you can make a very fun and pretty display. You could plant spinach in
clumps btween bush beans, and have an alternating display, or something
similar. Along the house, put taller plants in back, gradually getting
shorter as you plant forward. There are so many possibilities!

makes sense, thanks.

i

In article , Zemedelec wrote:
Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. BRBR

Do I hear a sniff of disdain here? Flowering varieties of peas and
squash. Opium poppies--usually not illegal unless you harvest them.
Dandelions--make wine of the flower heads. Morning Glories if you
enjoy hallucinogenics (read up on them first.) Flax, for the oil
(and the flowers). zemedelec

Okay, can you enlighten me about poppies. I would like to grow poppies
that I can use for pies and such, tyhat you make with poppy seeds. Is
that legal?

i

Dandelions produce excellent 'chards' if planted thickly in pots and kept in
total darkness. Just dig up the roots and pot them up, having removed all
green tops. Days rather than weeks!!
A first class addition to green salads.
Best Wishes.

"Zemedelec" wrote in message
...
Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. BRBR

Do I hear a sniff of disdain here?
Flowering varieties of peas and squash. Opium poppies--usually not
illegal
unless you harvest them. Dandelions--make wine of the flower heads.
Morning
Glories if you enjoy hallucinogenics (read up on them first.) Flax, for
the oil
(and the flowers).
zemedelec

What can you do with rhubarb, food wise?

Wow! I almost think you're joking! Rhubarb is one of my favorite foods :-)
My favorite is rhubarb crumble. Anyway, mixed with sugar & cooked, it
absolutely divine. Many people also make pie from it. There are many recipes
that mix it with strawberries. Use the stalks. Throw the leaves in the
compost pile (they are poisonous). Google for "rhubarb pie", "rhubarb
crumble", or "rhubarb crisp."

how about potatoes

Potatoes are pretty plants, similar to tomatoes (same family). I guess it
depends on how you plant them. You'd want it to be in a place that can
easily be dug up. (and probably not too many plants together) Or, you could
plant them in some sort of raised box, which I think would look very nice..

Come to think of it, you could even make cabbage look good, surrounding by
some different, smaller plants. (and there ARE ornamental cabbages, though I
don't know if they are edible)

Kohlrabi is also a very interesting plant. Some may think it is ugly, but
planted in a designed, complimentary setting, can be quite the unusual
addition.

Oh, and don't forget that some flowers are also edible, such as pansies.

Everything is edible in my front yard and all around the house as far
as that goes, at least to my goats when they happen to escape their
pasture.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

What part of the world/country you live in will help determine what
plants might do well-- as well as which direction your front yard
faces. My east facing front is less/more suited to some things than
say a north facing front.

Ignoramus31046 wrote:

Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
-snip-

Just curious, but where is that? I'm a native USAn & I still like to
make most of the plants I put in have some culinary or medicinal use.

-snip-
My question, rather, is, what varieties of plants that produce FOOD
can be planted in the FRONT yard.

You asked someone else what Rhubarb was good for-- I like it just as
a sauce with a dab of ice cream, but it also makes a great cobbler --
If you like marmalades at all, here's a simple recipe that is
scrumptious-
1lb rhubarb
1 lemon
2.5 cups sugar
slice rhubarb thinly - don't peel
zest entire lemon and mix with rhubarb
mix in sugar & let sit on counter overnight

In the AM, add the juice of the lemon & bring quickly to soft ball
stage-- Jar & seal. Good immediately-- better in a month or so.

-snip-
3. Fruit trees -- great flowering in the spring and great looking
crops in the fall.

I'm in zone 5-6 & was pleased to find that my flowering Almond not
only has gorgeous pink flowers in early spring, it also bears a bunch
of almonds. My peach tree is out back, but would look nice next to
my Almond. Neither takes any where near the care that my apple trees
do & both bear more fruit.

If you get lots of sun there I like my Lovage plant & it takes little
care-- Borage never did so well for me, but it is fun to eat the
flowers--- and speaking of flowers, be sure to throw in some
nasturtiums. The flowers & the leaves are a great addition to summer
salads.

Jim

"dps" wrote in message
...
Assuming you're in a part of the country that experiences winter, I
would recommend against annual crops in the front yard. Your front yard
will look like bare soil (or weeds) for more than half the year and your
neighbors may be upset (depending on your neighbors).

I disagree. Many people plant annual flowers, and flowers such as daffodils
and tulips don't keep they're foliage year-round (or even all summer). When
vegetables stop producing, or are ready to be pulled (radishes, etc), you
can readily plant more. The ground doesn't have to be bare for long.
Vegetables can be very complimentary with flowers or other perenials. And
with things like lettuce and herbs don't have to all be cut at once. It's
good for show to leave the bulk of such plants. Even if he did cut them all
at once, they'd readily grow back. There is no reason food plants can't be
planted as display plants or even in the same bed as non-food plants (as
long as you can tell them apart, you wouldn't want to eat non-food plants) I
think it's kind of funny how strict some people are with 'flowers in front,
vegetables in back'.

For the record, I don't have food plants in my front yard only because I
can't find any small plants that grow in full shade-- I'd love any
suggestions. My backyard is mixed-- strawberries, roses, peas, cotoneaster,
lilac, raspberries-- soon to plant my annual veggiesand maybe some
geraniums.

My question, rather, is, what varieties of plants that produce FOOD
can be planted in the FRONT yard.

Whatever won't be in violation of local ordinances when the neighbors
complain. : )

I'm only half-honest with that, I live in an area where the favorite
past-time is for neighbors to call the city on each other. Nevertheless,
last year I grew a bunch of jalapeno, habanero, and other pepper plants in
a "flower bed" (wink-wink) in my front yard, and nobody cared at all. If
anything, I think that the red and orange peppers were pretty enough that
people thought it was neat.

(Of course, you can't get away with that in all areas: Your peppers
might just disappear off of the plants before you have a chance to get to
them!)

steve

In article , Jim Elbrecht wrote:
What part of the world/country you live in will help determine what
plants might do well-- as well as which direction your front yard
faces.

Northern Illinois, my front yard faces south, a bit to the west.

i

"Ignoramus31046" wrote in message
...
Being from a country where people considered their land plots as
source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times
reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. I personally
plant only what I can eat. Although I would not mind my spouse
devoting herself to planting flowers and whatnot, this is not
something that I see myself doing.

My question, rather, is, what varieties of plants that produce FOOD
can be planted in the FRONT yard.

Some things come to mind.

1. Sunflowers -- beautiful flowers that make nice seeds
2. Corn -- tall grass with some view blocking properties that looks
nice and is also obviously edible. Adds a rustic look to the area
3. Fruit trees -- great flowering in the spring and great looking
crops in the fall.



Peppers
Herbs
Peas

Anything, actually. You can make a vegetable garden that looks attracticve
and is productive.

What can you do with rhubarb, food wise?


I cannot believe you mean it!!

Tens of acres of rhubarb are grown in dark sheds to produce the blanched
stalks and are as deliceous as any fruit. The plants are only used once and
replanted each year.
Others have provided recipes of which there are no end.
The actual leaf is known to be poisonous and as students we could detect
no difference bettween the chemistry of stalks and leaves.
Technically both are equally poisonous but our guts have yet to find out!!
Best Wishes