The most exciting and welcome garden trends today is the rebirth of the home food gardens.
These latter-day victory gardens give us many edible plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We relish the freshness and nutrition that only comes from homegrown produce, and we appreciate the security of knowing that what we eat contains nothing harmful. What’s more, fresh garden vegetables and fruits taste better. Moreover, many edible plants and herbs make fine ornamentals—kale, chard, lettuce, persimmons, blueberries, and figs are good examples; thymes make wonderful ground cover, bay can be clipped into a hedge or topiary, and germander is a standard edger.
The great thing about an herb garden is that it doesn’t need much space. Herbs tolerate cramped roots and doo just fine in a pot or a small kitchen garden. But two things they do demand are lots of sun and well-drained soil. Fruit trees, on the other hand, do require much more space, but the bounty they provide is endless. Apple, cherry, peach, passion fruit—fruit trees are a true friend of the southern climate.
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