Berries and Brambles

There is a timely and necessary trend towards ‘growing your own' edibles. Fruit orchards and veggie patches are ‘in' and are being featured in even the most sophisticated garden designs. (We know, because not only does our own in-house landscape artist, Anthony Skinner, have a passion for including these edible gardens in his designs, but his clients are requesting them too!)

There are few activities more wonderful than to ramble amongst the brambles, picking and nibbling on the fruits of the earth. A berry, chilled to the perfect temperature by the chilly night air and sprinkled with dew makes a fabulous breakfast with yoghurt and honey or added to cereal. And as the fruit becomes plentiful, it just begs to be made into pies, tarts, muffins, etc!

Berries are the perfect fruit - not only are they great to eat, versatile in their usage and add fabulous colour to desserts and baked goods, but they are packed with nutrients including good doses of Vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants. They are really easy to grow, occupy only as much space as you are willing to give them, and produce prolific quantities of fabulous fruit. They make jolly jars of jam and cheerful chocks of chutney when you have a bumper crop.

There is a wide range of Berries to choose from, some of which are known as Brambles, due to the fact that they have thorny or spiny canes and branches. Brambles are those tasty, colorful delights of early summer and autumn. The genus Rubus is divided into many species that include raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, loganberries and boysenberries. Ribes include the currant family - red/black/white as well as gooseberries, Fragaria is the botanical name for strawberries, Vaccinium for blueberries, and Cape Gooseberries are Physalis peruviana.

Berries and Brambles are often treated as gourmet fruit because they don't store well. They are easy to grow and are a desirable addition to any home garden. Summer-bearing brambles ripen right after strawberries, creating a succession of fruit crops.

They are not difficult to grow:

• Choose a planting site higher than the surrounding area if possible, as this provides essential air circulation and water drainage, reducing disease and insect problems. Strawberries and blueberries can be grown in containers if space is limited.
• Pruning is essential for maximum fruit yield. It is also necessary to keep the plants an acceptable size and a compact shape. This, in turn, encourages the formation of healthy fruits that are easy to harvest.
• In small gardens, berries can be grown in barrels or large containers and can be trained along walls and fences and pruned to espaliers.
• Brambles are adapted to a wide range of soils but do best when planted in well-drained, deep, fertile soil that is high in humus. A pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is preferred. Compared to raspberries, blackberries are more tolerant of heavy soils.  
• Adding plenty of organic matter and planting in raised beds can be of help in avoiding diseases.

                         

There are so many mouth-watering recipes that include berries. Here are just a few fabulous ideas: Berry-Yoghurt Ice, Raspberry Nectar, Loganberry Jam, Boysenberry Parfait, Blackberry Cocktail, Chocolate and Blackberry Brownies, Boysenberry Brulee (just dee-licious!), Bramble Crumble (yum!), Raspberry Pavlova and the all-time favourite, Blueberry Muffins.

We currently have a wide range of berries and brambles in stock.