HAWLEY, PA — If you want greater biodiversity in plants and insect populations, bring vegetables to your landscaping, said Master Gardener Diane Diffenderfer. 

She was the guest speaker at the May meeting of the Country Gardeners Club (TCG).

Diffenderfer recommends starting small and growing from there. But before, walk your property, make a map and a list of your favorite plants, and decide what you want to emphasize, e.g. color, shape, volume or height.

It was not until 1980 that Robert Kourik coined the term “edible landscaping.” It includes aesthetic design with crop production. 

“This kind of garden has no rules, and, therefore, gardeners are freer to be more creative than in a regular garden,” Diffenderfer said. “Mixing veggies and herbs adds color and texture to your landscape and brings food to your table.” 

Consider planting Jerusalem artichokes, a species native to North America and a member of the sunflower family; it has bright yellow flowers and is rich in vitamins and minerals. 

Try pawpaw, our only native fruit, which is quite hardy and pest-free. To some, it tastes like a mix of banana and mango, but to others it tastes like raw potato. 

If you love nuts, there are many types of tree nuts that grow in PA. 

Berries, figs, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and all kind of herbs are also great for edible landscaping, but do not forget the flowers.

TCG celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, so at every meeting, members will look back and share all kinds of stories. 

Judi Mortensen, the current president of the club and one of the founding members, said, “In 1993, the late Helen Fiorio and… eight ladies, who were all part of the Master Gardener class, met around my kitchen table and discussed forming a garden club.” 

Ruth Herman spoke about the many prizes the club has won in the Northeast Pennsylvania Flower Shows. “In 1995, we won the first prize with a rock garden. After the show, a vendor offered to buy our plants and big rocks. What he did not know was that the rocks, which looked very real, were just painted Styrofoam. He was so surprised!”

The next meeting of TCG is scheduled for Thursday, June 1 at 1 p.m. at the Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Center, located at 126 Lamberton Ln. The guest speaker will be Hunter Vargo, and he will discuss mushrooms. Anyone interested in gardening is welcome to attend as a guest.