Edible landscapes are a thing—especially in these uncertain times, when we’re eager to use every pot or square of turf that we have to grow food in. Here are three plants that taste as good as they look.

Chives

These cool-season, easy-care perennial members of the onion family sprout beautiful purple flowers—that you can also eat—in late May or early June. You should plant these small bulbs early in the spring, so try to find starter plants now. They thrive in patio containers too. The light-onion flavour livens up green salads, soups, or baked potatoes.

Celebration Swiss chard

Brightening up containers or bed borders, this chard provides a rainbow of red, yellow, rose, gold, and white stems, and crinkly leaves in burgundy and dark green. Sautée them with lemon and parmesan, or throw immature leaves into a salad. West Coast Seeds had it in stock at last check; they take about 60 days to mature, so you should be sowing them now.

Purple-Leaf Basil

Basil comes in a variety of aromatic purple hues, perfect for a sunny, warm spot on your deck. Check out dark opal basil, or Thai basil, which has shiny green leaves with pretty purple stems and flowers, from Canada’s Incredible Seed Co.; we also like Purple Ruffles from West Coast Seeds. Start them on a window sill now, before putting them out; they take about 60 days to grow.