Many current garden trends  involve pushing away from a firm dividing line between the ornamental and functional. So instead of having a dedicated kitchen garden separated from the formal front yard, plants are combined for maximum use. A front yard specimen tree can also bear fruit,  annual flower beds contain a variety of vegetables and herbs, a shrub border provided habitat for birds and screening. I like this ideal. Mixing uses is more interesting, challenging and economical.

I’m working on an old project, a plant list spread sheet regarding plants in this area. I’m on the tree section, and one thing I’ve noticed is the division of ornamental and functional trees. Plant varieties have been commonly bred for only one purpose. For instance, plums are either bred for a specific fruit variety, or they are bred to not have fruit and look pretty. I can buy fruit that tastes great, or that have unique form or foliage, but hardly ever both. There are ornamental kale, peppers and herbs that blend the boundaries, but I would like to see more. How about a weeping apple tree, that still produces a good fall crop? Or grapes that are bred as much to be an ornamental vine as produce a good crop.

Do you know any good cross-purpose varieties, and what would you like to see?