When planning your garden, or reclaiming a mundane lawn, it is a good idea to do something for yourself, plant plants which reward you with an edible bounty. Edible Landscaping is a division of Permaculture teaches that we should try to grow things which will feed us. There is no reason why your yard needs to be devoted to a "golf course" style lawn when you can have some attractive cover which will save you a few dollars on food expenses. Even in a northern climate, you can grow some of your own food. These plants are suitable for zone 4, and with proper mulching and placement, may survive in lower zones.
Bloody Dock
Also known as Bloodwort, Bloody Dock is a wonderful alternative to spinach. It is a very attractive perennial, with rich green leaves and maroon colored veins. Given the right conditions this plant can become weedy. It is said that it can only live in zone 5 or above, but I have several plants and am in a zone 3 location.
Has been said to contain cancer fighting properties.
Burnet
This is an appealing plant for your yard and can be used as an addition to salads, as it has an interesting nutty cucumber taste. The leaves may also be used in soups, casseroles, or in fruit dishes, and iced drinks. It makes an interesting addition to cut flower arrangements.
Remove flowers if you do not want them to reseed themselves.
Lingonberries
Lingonberries are also known as Cowberries or Mountain Cranberries. They are compact evergreens, and will make a nice groundcover once established. This plant works well as a border for flower gardens.
The berries have natural preservative qualities, and are useful as a preservative, some people place them with other fruits in water for storage. The berries have a strong taste when raw, but, make wonderful jams and jellies.
Wintergreen
This shade loving ground-cover adds a nostalgic culinary touch to any garden. Wintergreen berries were commonly used in the creation of flavorings for many old-time confections. In fact, what many people think of as the traditional "Bubble Gum" flavor, came originally from Wintergreen berries. You may find many uses for Wintergreen berries in teas or desserts. I suggest that all but the most experienced gardeners, start with live plants as growing Wintergreen from seed, is a lengthly and complex process. Fortunately, due to their spreading nature a few wisely placed Wintergreen plants will turn into an attractive and fruitful ground-cover soon enough. I like to plant them along shadier garden paths or use as a ground cover under trees or shrubs.
Ferns
Young fern shoots are called "fiddleheads", most are edible. They have a flavor similar to asparagus and may used in lieu of it. Ferns can be planted in many problem areas and some types will win a battle against weeds. Most species' love of shade makes them ideal for filling in spaces under trees which reduces mowing in these awkward areas, and provided they get enough water, they will grow in part sun.
Ferns produce a unique food source while adding more interest than simple weed barriers. Another wonderful thing about ferns is that you can get many different varieties. I suggest the Ostrich Fern, or Staghorn Fern, for production of "fiddleheads".
Your Garden
These are just a few of the plants you can grow to add variety to your garden and your table. Edible plants add diversity and will help you to spend less money on food that you can then save, or spend elsewhere. Not all of these plants are "main dishes" - but are intended to add variety to other dishes. I encourage you to look further into Permaculture and Edible Landscaping.
