Category Archives: Edible Landscaping

The beautiful and edible Roselle Hibiscus planted in our Greenhouse beds. 

All plant material in the edible landscape is carefully selected for culinary purposes. Whether it be the leaves, flowers, fruit, roots or seeds, at least one part of the plant must be edible. Creating a visually attractive landscape design using only edible plants is the framework for our lovely garden. We hope you enjoy your visit to The Edible Landscape at Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills.

Edible Plants in Our Garden and Some of Their Culinary Uses:

South Sidewalk Raised Beds (Left Side)

Garlic Chives – leaves and blossoms; salads, egg dishes and sauces

Spearmint – leaves; mint syrups, fruit salads, garnish for beverages, use with beef, lamb, English peas, cucumbers, tomatoes and watermelon

Basil – leaves and blossoms; beverages, desserts, egg dishes, pesto and salads

South Sidewalk Raised Bed (Right Side)

Sweet Fennel – leaves; salads, sauces and grilled meats, – seeds; teas and sausage

Okra – pods for sautéing, roasting, frying and sliced raw in salads; leaves for frying

Strawberries – fruit; beverages, desserts, jams, jellies and soups

Trellis

Luffa – young vegetable and flowers; young vegetable can substitute for squash, zucchini or eggplant, flowers can be dipped in batter and sautéed

Clay Pot Bed

Sweet Myrtle – leaves, berries and blossoms; leaves in stews, roast meats, stuffing, salads and meat ragouts, berries as a substitute for black pepper

Dwarf Fig Tree – fruit; preserves, salads, grilled and baked

Stonescape

Mexican Mint Marigold – leaves; fish and poultry cookery, ice creams and teas

Curry Plant – leaves; mix with cream cheese for sandwiches, egg and chicken salads

Society Garlic – leaves; herb butters, egg and cheese dishes, starchy vegetables

Cutting Celery – leaves; dressings, salads and soups

Summer Savory – leaves; vegetable cookery, especially beans 

Italian Parsley – leaves; white sauce, scrambled eggs, baked corn or potatoes, poultry, dressing, biscuits and butter

Swing Set Frame Raised Beds

Pelargoniums (Scented Geraniums) – leaves; desserts, jellies, sugars and teas

West End of Swing Set Frame

Lamb’s Quarters – young, tender leaves for salads

Wire Frame North Side of Swing Set Frame

Anise Hyssop – dried leaves used for teas and seasonings

Lovage – leaves; salads, soups and stews – seeds; crushed or whole can be used like leaves – stems; blanched and eaten like celery

Scarlet Emperor Bean – leaves, blossoms, fruit; leaves cooked or raw, blossoms in salads, fruit (bean) young like green beans, or mature, used like dried beans

Statuary Bed  

Onion Chives – leaves and blossoms; breads, egg dishes, sauces and salads

Pumpkins – pulp and seeds; breads, pancakes, puddings, soups and toasted seeds

Square Raised Bed

Bay Laurel – leaves; seasoning for soups, stews, vegetables and sauces

Peppers – fruit; grilling, jellies, roasting, sauces and stuffing

Crescent Beds

Pineapple Sage; beverages

Sweet Marjoram ‘compacta’; breads, soups, sauces and pasta dishes

Stone Walkway, East Side

Salad Burnet – fresh young leaves in salads and dips

Hügelkultur

Winter Savory – leaves; vegetable cookery, especially beans

Italian Oregano – leaves and flowers; breads, spaghetti sauce, basting meats while grilling, pasta dishes

Artichokes – choke; steamed and sautéed

Strawberries – fruit; beverages, desserts, jams and jellies, soups

Swiss Chard – leaves; frittatas, savory tarts and soups

Wave Wall

French Sorrel – leaves; salads, sauces and soups

Greenhouse Beds

Monarda (Bee Balm) – leaves and blossoms; teas and salads

Lemon Balm – leaves; use as a garnish for summer drinks and salads, teas

German Chamomile – flowers; tea

Roselle Hibiscus– calyx, leaves, seeds; calyx for tea and jam, leaves in salads/stir fry, seeds ground into flour

Cinder Block Front of Greenhouse

Roselle Hibiscus – same as above 

French Tarragon planted in the half moon bed.

Brick Half Moon Bed, North Front of Greenhouse

Lemon Verbena – leaves; beverages, breads, desserts, jam and jellies and salad dressings

Mediterranean Swoop Bed

Pomegranate – flesh and seeds; jellies, salads and sauces 

French Tarragon – leaves; eggs, cheese dishes, sauces for fish, chicken tarragon and a classic in bearnaise sauce 

Thyme – leaves and flowers; stews, leafy vegetables, beef, fish, lamb, pork and poultry cookery, also used to cook with legumes

Culinary Sages (Garden, Purple and TriColor) – leaves and flowers; breads, poultry and pork cookery, thanksgiving stuffing 

Mexican Oregano – leaves and flowers; same as other oreganos

Raised Bed on Concrete Pad

Sweet Potato (Beauregard) – baking, roasting and sautéing for vegetable dishes and desserts

Plant Guild

Hardy Satsuma (Orange Frost) – fruit

Sweet Marjoram – breads, soups, sauces and pasta dishes

Cedar Fence

Sweet Olive (Osmanthus Fragans)- blossoms; dried and used in cakes and sweets 

Ginger – root, leaves; sauces, pickled, baked goods, leaves can be infused to provide a mild ginger flavor (compared to the root)

Linda Alexander