Often, we think of landscaping and food gardening as two different activities. However, to the creative gardener, there is plenty of room for overlap. There are a great many lovely plants that also happen to be edible.

As you plan your yard this spring, and consider what to plant, consider edible landscaping. Here are some ideas:

Edible Flowers

Many of us know that dandelion leaves can make a great addition to a salad. Unfortunately, no matter how pretty your kids think dandelions are, they aren’t considered a viable part of a good-looking landscape. But there are plenty of other edible flowering plants you can use. Some of my favorites include basil, thyme, chives, coriander and rosemary, which are herbs (and I like to dry for use during the winter).

Other options include carnation, borage, fennel, rose hips, violas, nasturtiums, and some varieties of geranium (not all). I also like growing Russian sage. It smells good and looks distinctive. However, it’s important to note that the leaves aren’t edible, while the flowers are.

Edging and Ground Cover

The smaller herbs also make great ground covers and edging plants. Thyme is especially useful as a ground cover, as is oregano and chamomile. I also like using strawberries. They make great ground cover, and the flowers are pretty and the berries delicious. Plus, the color change in the leaves makes strawberries a fun ground cover during the fall. Lingonberries also make for good ground cover. Sweet potatoes can also provide attractive ground cover (lovely flowers and ivy-like leaves), and the leaves are also edible.

Rhubarb (if you like that sort of thing) can also make a great edging plant. Lettuce is also a good edging plant. There are many different varieties of lettuce; choose those that are red, purple, or deep green. These varieties of lettuce look pretty, and have more nutrients than the iceberg lettuce.

Other edging choices can include cauliflower, garlic, turnips, and beans. It you want, you can even plant red or purple cabbage to add a dramatic look to your landscaping.

Trellis Planting

Adding a trellis to your yard can be a pretty touch. Rather than planting mainly decorative plants, though, think about how you can use vining plants. Many varieties of peas and beans have beautiful leaves and vines, and will grow on a trellis. Interestingly, you can also get cucumbers, some melons, and some varieties of squash to grow vertically, and these can add a great deal to your lanscape.

Privacy

Our neighbors across the street are growing raspberries as a privacy hedge, rather than building a fence. You can use such fruiting bushes as a privacy planting. As long as you keep them trimmed properly, raspberries and blackberries (watch out; raspberries and blackberries can poison each other) can make great — and tasty — fences. Your neighbors probably won’t mind as long as they can harvest the fruit on their side.

When planning your landscape, think about edible plants. There are plenty of edible plants, as well as fruits and vegetables that are attractive. Plan your landscape as a garden, and you’ll save money and eat well.

One day, a couple of years ago, as my son and I headed home from whatever appointment we had, we saw someone toss a can out the window.

“That’s not good for the environment, mom,” he said. “We should go pick that up.”

What could I do? I want to teach my son to live a little more sustainably, and to try to take good care of the environment, so I pulled the car over and we picked up the trash. I was proud of my son, and, I have to admit, I did give myself a pat on the back for teaching him to be aware of the environment — and to take action. (As a parent, you rarely feel like you can say, “Hey! I’m a good mom!” You take it when you can get it.)

As you try to get your child to use public transit and turn off the water while brushing his or her teeth, here are 4 tips you can use as you attempt to instill more sustainable behaviors:

1. Set a Good Example

The number one tip for teaching your child anything is to do it yourself. Let your child see that you turn off the water when you brush your teeth. When possible, do you bike to work? Do you sort your recyclables rather than getting lazy and just tossing it all into the trash? When your child sees you doing the things you are trying to teach, he or she is more likely to follow suit.

2. Make it Fun

My son is a 10 year old boy. For him, there are few things cooler than riding the bus or the train. Especially the train. My son thinks mass transit is awesome, and I try to make it part of what we do. But there are other ways to help your children decide that sustainable living is fun. Make it a game to sort the recyclables. You can even make it a family game to see how much water you can conserve, or whether you can lower the electricity bill each month.

3. Do Things Together

Yes, it’s much easier just to weed the garden yourself. It’s probably faster, too. However, your child will have more fun with your attempts to live a more sustainable lifestyle if you do things together. When I take our glass to the recycling center, I bring my son. It would be faster to do it myself, while he’s at school, but he likes to feel involved.

Plus, actually letting your child participate helps build good habits. Get your child in the habit of gardening, recycling, and engaging in other sustainable habits with you, and he or she will be more likely to want to do them as adults.

4. Explain Your Actions

Give age appropriate explanations for your actions. Many children want to know why they are doing something. If you can provide a reason, many of them are very interested in falling in line. As best you can, explain why it helps the environment when you walk or take the bus instead of drive your car. There are educational resources that can show children how recycling works.

And, of course, you can explain your purchasing behaviors (or lack of consumer behaviors) to your child, emphasizing the importance of doing your best to be sustainable. When your child sees that you take an interest in sustainable living, and knows why it is important, he or she will be likely to join in — and learn those practices as well.