Table Of ContentLandscaping
Fruit
with
a homeowner’s guide
L andscaping
Fr uit
with
Lee Reich
ß
Storey Publishing
The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.
Edited by Carleen Madigan Perkins and Gwen Steege All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
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Front cover photography by © Susan A. Roth (top left and written permission from the publisher.
right), © Lee Reich Ltd. (middle left), © Lynn Karlin (middle The information in this book is true and complete to the
best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without
right), © Pat Bruno/Positive Images (bottom left), © Wheat
guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The
Landscape Gardening & Designs, Inc. (bottom right)
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Turner (front fl ap), © Susan A. Roth (back fl ap), © Genevieve
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Interior photography credits appear on page 191
Reich, Lee.
Photographic research by Jane A. Martin, The Photo Editor Landscaping with fruit / Lee Reich.
p. cm.
Illustrations by © Elayne Sears Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-60342-091-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Landscape designs by Jill Weissman, except for page 31 by
ISBN 978-1-60342-096-9 (hardcover with jacket : alk. paper)
© Ethan Roland and Rafter Sass, Appleseed Permaculture
1. Fruit-culture. 2. Ornamental horticulture.
I. Title.
SB354.8.R45 2009
Indexed by Christine R. Lindemer, Boston Road 635'.6—dc22 2008034046
Communications
© 2009 by Lee Reich
Dedicated to Rosalind Creasy
who, in 1982, helped open
our eyes to the beauty of edible plants. Her landmark book The Complete
Book of Edible Landscaping opened the door to getting these plants out
of orchards and vegetable gardens and into our yards.
Grapes that are trained over an arbor provide dappled shade for an outdoor living area, as well as a bounty of fruit at the end of the summer.
Contents
INTRODUCTION 9
The Joy of Homegrown Fruits
LANDSCAPE DESIGN BASICS 13
Why Is That Yard So Pretty? • Plants as Design Elements • Site Analysis: What You Have, What You Want •
Putting It All Together
CONSIDERATIONS IN PLANTING 33
Climate Assessment • Soil and Sun • Personal Assessment
GROWING THE PLANTS 43
Plant Selection • Pollination • Planting • Defense Against Pests • Pruning • Soil Care
HOME LANDSCAPE PLANS 61
A Patio Fruitscape • Outdoor Living and Snacking Area • A Modular Backyard • An Edible Foundation •
A Children’s Garden
GUIDE TO FRUITING LANDSCAPE PLANTS 73
An Overview of Luscious Landscape Plants 75 • Alpine Strawberry 78 • Apple and Crab Apple 80 •
Apricot 84 • Autumn Olive 86 • Beach Plum 88 • Blackberry 90 • Blueberry 93 • Cherry, Cornelian 97 •
Cherry, Nanking ı00 • Cherry, Sweet ı02 • Cherry, Tart ı05 • Currant, Clove ı07 • Currant, Red, White, or
Pink ı09 • Gumi ıı2 • Grapes ıı3 • Hackberry ıı7 • Huckleberry ıı9 • Jujube ı2ı • Juneberry (Serviceberry,
Saskatoon, Shadbush) ı23 • Kiwifruit, Golden Kiwifruit, Hardy Kiwifruit, Super-hardy Kiwifruit ı26 •
Lingonberry ı29 • Maypop ı32 • Medlar ı35 • Mulberry ı37 • Pawpaw ı39 • Peach and Nectarine ı4ı • Pear
(European and Asian) ı45 • Persimmon ı49 • Plum ı52 • Quince ı55 • Raisin Tree ı57 • Rose Hip ı59 •
Russian Olive ı62 • Seaberry (Sea Buckthorn) ı64 • Shipova ı66 • Sorbus ı68 • Wintergreen (Checkerberry,
Teaberry) ı7ı • Subtropical Fruits to Grow in Containers ı73
APPENDIXES 177
Suggested Reading and Online Resources ı77 • Suppliers ı77 • USDA Hardiness Zone Map ı78 •
AHS Heat Zone Map ı79
INDEX 180
A ‘Stanley’ plum tree in the front yard provides luscious fruits and ornamental presence.
introduction
CONTRARY TO WHAT GROWNUPS MAY HAVE TOLD YOU AS A CHILD, YOU CAN “HAVE
your cake and eat it too.” When it comes to planting your yard, at least.
Garden plants have traditionally been pigeonholed into one of two categories: utilitarian, for
providing food, or ornamental, for providing beauty. This ethos has plopped fruit plantings out of
sight, to far corners of our backyards. And rightly so, because we generally have not chosen fruit
trees, shrubs, and vines for their beauty or for their ease of growing. Where conditions favored
pests — and, hence, pesticide sprays — we surely could not allow such plants near terraces or
other living or play areas. When constraints of time or space have forced a decision between
planting for beauty and planting for food (which, after all, can be bought), that decision has
usually tipped in favor of planting for beauty.
That choice need not be made; you can have both! The pages that follow will lead you through
the steps necessary to choose, plant, and grow trees, shrubs, and vines that provide luscious
fruits while gracing your yard with their beauty.
In the last few decades, even the humble vegetable garden has been recognized for its
untapped beauty. Ornamental vegetables, such as ‘Scarlet Runner’ beans and ‘Rainbow’ chard,
9
