Best permaculture plants for small NYC gardens?

I'm trying to envision what balconies, patios, stoops, back yards, and store fronts in NYC would look like if permaculture designers took them over.

What plants are good for container or small bed gardening in the New York city climate, that have a permaculture function?

I guessing going with native plants first is the best plan. I want to grow vegetables, herbs, materials, and other resources.

Let's make a plant list.

Here are a couple different urban/suburban examples:

https://vimeo.com/168769049  

Eric Giordano wrote:I'm trying to envision what balconies, patios, stoops, back yards, and store fronts in NYC would look like if permaculture designers took them over.

What plants are good for container or small bed gardening in the New York city climate, that have a permaculture function?

I guessing going with native plants first is the best plan. I want to grow vegetables, herbs, materials, and other resources.

Let's make a plant list.

Why go with native plants? What grows naturally in an asphalt jungle?

Your best bet is probably to set up a a system that fulfills functions that you choose. Maybe Oyster mushrooms growing on your spent coffee grounds. You feed them stems and other compost to a bin with worms. The vermicompost then feeds plants that clean the air in your apartment and/or fulfills another function (parsley/radishes/ornamentals). Stems and dead leaves get added to the coffee grounds to keep the cycle going.