3. Globe Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)
A beautiful edible plant that can be planted in the fall or spring, the globe artichoke produces a large flower bud that can be harvested before it reaches bloom.
If you don’t plan to maximize your artichoke yield, let some of the buds come to flower, and they will produce a stunning purple bloom. The perennial itself can easily work as the centerpiece of your garden since it can grow up to four feet across and six feet tall.
In colder regions where globe artichoke grows as an annual, it needs to be planted in the spring to have enough time to mature over the summer.
4. Rose Hips (Rosa spp.)
Here’s another beautiful edible plant that you’ll love having in your garden. Rosehips are the seed of the rose plant, a woody perennial that’s a popular acquisition in flower gardens.
If you’re growing roses specifically for their seeds, the rugosa species is a great choice since it produces larger hips than most other varieties. The rosehips aren’t often seen since roses are usually cut when they wilt, which chops off the fruits as well.
Therefore, make sure you leave the wilting flowers, and you should see the purple or red fruits appear by the end of summer. They can be dried and eaten as a snack or used to make jellies or brew tea.
But that’s not all; the hips aren’t the only useful part of this beautiful edible plant—rose petals have long been harvested in the Middle East to make rose water.
