Edimentals
Edimentals is a term that was coined by the horticulturist and writer Stephen Barstow in the late 2000’s, and has become a bit of a buzz word in the past 5 years. It’s a catch-all phrase for plants which are both ornamental and edible and can include annuals, bulbs, herbaceous perennials, trees and shrubs. Whilst they form the backbone of a forest garden (another gardening term which is very on point at the moment), they can be incorporated into just about any garden or allotment, offering a superb solution for gardeners with limited space.
The term is so vague that it could possibly include many hundreds of species, from the humble chive (Allium schoenoprasum) to a hawthorn tree (Crataegus spp.). We will be generally be focussing on shrubs in this section – pretty enough to justify a space in a mixed border, but with the bonus of tasty and often highly nutritional fruit. There will be some you will be familiar with, and others you certainly will not be. This section will be expanded and updated over the coming months.