posted 6 years ago
Oooh, I'd tell them all about the low-maintenance edible foods that are pretty.
Things that grow well for me, that are edible and pretty and perennial:
ChivesGarlic ChivesHostas (for shady areas)Cherry trees--these are pretty, but mine keep dying at their graft lines, so they need more maintenance...or cherries just hate me...Peach trees (get the Frost peach, as it's disease resistant and doesn't need sprays)daylilies (not easter lilies, those are poisonous)everberring &/or wild strawberries. They are a great ground cover. The latter do well in shady areas. Both produce before school is out, and are still producing when school is in sessionblueberriesClove currant (pretty yellow flowers that smell lovely! Berries are yummy, too)pansieshardy fushias have edible flowersThimbleberries are great for hedges, with attractive leaves and white flowers and yummy berries. They're native, too!Blackcap raspberry--another good one for hedges. They have pretty blue groundcover raspberries--these are common in commercial parking lots as a spreading ground cover, and they have edible berriesHoneyberries--not as pretty as blackberries or clove currants, but still nice looking and have berries earleir than other plants (they fruit in the school year)Apples--ripe when kids first come to school!french sorrel--perennial that has edible leaves that taste like lemony spinachblood sorrel--like french sorrel, but a pretty red color. Also a perenial. both sorrels can be divided after a year, to increase one's planting.mediteranian herbs that are good for sunny areas:
* Rosemary
* sage
* thyme
* oregano
* marjoram
* tarragon
Lovage--a perennial herb that tastes like celery. Gets tallparsley--not a perennial, but it self-seedsMint or lemonbalm for an area that is contained. It spreads! one could do a bunch of different types of mints: orange mint, chocolate mint, spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm. Plant them all in one area for a lovely smelling, pretty ground cover
Talk about how these plants feed wildlife as well as students and pollinators. And how they help kids get more nutrition than they might at home, as they are fresh and also they are far more nutrient dense than pizza a mac&cheese. The higher nutrients will help with brain function. The smells of the edible plants will make the campus more inviting. Talk about how plants would need to be planted--the money might as well be spent on things that are multipurpose!