It took me many years to realize that nearly everything in my grandmother's back yard (except the lawn and porch) was food. There were orange trees, a cherry tree, an avocado tree, garlic, and a raspberry bramble. I loved picking raspberries. There was a pomegranate tree in the front.

A garden is always going to be better than a lawn. A garden of plants that grow faster than trees may be higher-maintenance, though.