Ros and Joe chat in her front yard garden
Let’s talk about utilizing our yards and landscapes – not for shrubs, bulbs and lawn, but as beautiful palettes of edible growing space for fruits and vegetables, herbs and berries – even in suburban yards and gardens.
Rosalind Creasy is the original Edible Landscaper – she literally wrote the book on the subject – and has been teaching others to grow food in the front yard, beautifully, for 30 years. Today, Rosalind continues to share her knowledge of gardening and cooking by writing, lecturing nationwide, appearing on television and radio shows, and working as a consultant to restaurants, growers, and seed companies.
Graham Kerr tells about growing his first basil from seed
Not sure where to get started? Ros says to start small, so you don’t get overwhelmed and discouraged. Find a spot where you have a few sun-loving shrubs and flowers, and replace them with herbs and strawberries. By growing edibles beautifully in the front yard, your bounty is there to share and discuss with the neighbors as children come pick strawberries and visit the chickens.
Graham Kerr – yes, the Galloping Gourmet (now the Galloping Gardener) – tells us about his first year of growing his own food, discovering this passion for gardening later in life and making a wholehearted switch to healthier cooking and eating.
Many edible plants are “beautiful enough for the front yard”, as are these nasturtium in Rosalind Creasy’s garden
By growing edibles visibly and not hidden in the back yard, it invites sharing and conversation with neighbors and may even inspire them to consider doing the same. Chef Nathan joins Graham Kerr in the greenhouse kitchen for an omelet cooked right in the garden with fresh chick peas.
For more information:
- Rosalind Creasy’s website
- Edible Landscaping [book] by Rosalind Creasy
- Graham Kerr’s website
- Growing at the Speed of Life [book] by Graham Kerr
- Graham Kerr and Chef Nathan make a Velvet Omelet
- Joe’s Blog Post for this episode
About GGWTV
Growing A Greener World is a national gardening series on Public Television that features organic gardening, green living and farm to table cooking. Each episode focuses on compelling and inspirational people making a difference through gardening. This gardening series covers everything from edible gardening and sustainable agriculture to seasonal cooking and preserving the harvest.
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I looked this uo after watching part of the episode on my local PBS. I STILL love this man’s vive and zeal and spirit! I watched him as The Galloping Gourmet as a child. He is wonderful!
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I loved, became encouraged, excited, started planning. I can’t get enough of the shows on TV. I didn’t know it but, I had already started edible gardening by replacing St. Augustine grass, zone 9 Orlando, with trying to keep grass alive. Only to be moved, watered with broken sprinkler zones. To discover find that I have a matrix of Moles disturbing the grass roots to eat the grubs. Then, the que de gras: Multiples of untouchable [for any reason in Florida] Gopher Turtles. Therefore by law, you must surrender your property to doing anything to disturb their habitat. (It not mine anymore). I gave up fighting. I tested for months small plants I procreated to see, what my “zoo” allowed me to plant. I started with my own Rosemary from back yard to front day in and out. I swiped some of my neighbors ferns joke, and other pretty ground covers. Slowly, (“they”) the bosses allowed me to move forward and only kick up a new plant now an then. They also let me know through their Burroughs of what I just planted the day before and that they know, they had checked out what I planted. I guess to let me know which plant would they would let live). I’m not kidding. In the beginning, when I thought I only had Moles, I truly became Bill Murray, from Caddyshcack. I was cursing them under my breath and a few of my neighbors would ask what are you doing? I said this is war. I’m going to get these varmints☠
I ultimately said to myself, try another way, then another and breathe. We are OK now?. And the show, “Growing up in a Greener World”, albeit from years ago, grabbed my heart as I’ve have such sad family issues, handicaps, ongoing “why challenges”, filled me with much more purpose and joy. Ms. Creasy is my mentor. Thank-you all for giving me hope in this beautiful life Nature be folds to us everyday good or alright, courtesy from the love of God..
Kind wishes, Renée Towater
bailey10034@ gmail.com
Bravo to you Joe, Nathan and to the entire Grow a Greener World crew beautiful segment <|;-)
Growing food is so much more fulfilling to me than growing *just* for the sake of beauty… but that could be because I’m a glutton for delicious food! 😉
Great video, GGW! <3
‘Ros says to start small, so you don’t get overwhelmed and discouraged. Find a spot where you have a few sun-loving shrubs and flowers, and replace them with herbs and strawberries.”
Ooooooh, yes – that definitely works 🙂 Only problem is the bug has then grabbed you firmly in both hands, and all you want to do is rip up the rest of your garden to plants crops LOL Nothing beats the sensation of picking your own produce – nothing 🙂