Topic 1.1
Edible Landscaping

In a healthy food environment, edible landscaping will raise awareness of the value of food, encourage healthy eating and increase understanding of fruit and vegetables. People will see food growing around them in the public realm as they move around their neighbourhood.

Communities do not see food plants in the green environment.

Food is under-valued.

Some types of new development have insufficient space for food growing; the space between buildings is underutilised.

Include edible planting in landscaping schemes.

Create green networks with edible plants to provide routes between homes and community facilities.

Promote landscape schemes to include edible planting, especially in public realm.

Natural England Green Infrastructure Map
https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2024/10/31/mapping-our-green-and-blue-spaces-the-green-infrastructure-mapping-project/

England Green Infrastructure Mapping Database released 28th October 2024
https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/GreenInfrastructure/Home.aspx 

Edible landscaping is the use of food producing plants where ornamental plants might have been used. This approach is suitable at a landscape scale for larger developments and can also provide a solution on more restricted sites where perhaps only limited amenity space can be provided.

Edible landscapes familiarise the public with food and where it comes from. Landscape policies can encourage the inclusion of edible plants such as fruit, nuts, herbs in the design and layout of buildings and landscaping of developments to benefit both healthy communities and biodiversity.

Green Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide 2023 (Natural England) https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/GreenInfrastructure/downloads/Design%20Guide%20-%20Green%20Infrastructure%20Framework.pdf