The evolution of the berry bush continues. Once large and untamed, berry bushes are becoming smaller and are being adapted for new uses, including as ornamentals.
The increasing popularity of berries as ornamentals is part of the trend toward urbanizing gardening, thinking smaller and trying nontraditional plants, said Steve Raczak of Twixwood Nursery in Berrien Springs, Mich.
"There's a movement toward reducing sizes and increasing the variations of color," he said. "There's lots of movement in berries, fruits, herbs, vegetables, so the convenience of growing and harvesting can literally be done on your patio."
Another factor in their popularity is the hope that they will appeal to a different gardening demographic.
"There's so much talk in our industry about how to attract young people to gardening," says Robin Rinaca, owner of Eastern Shore Nursery of Virginia, located in Melfa, Va.
"The gardening population was traditionally women in their 50s to 70s. As that demographic gets older, there are concerns about what will follow. Kids in their 20s? I don't know if they'll be gardening."
In addition to containers on patios or balconies, small berry bushes can be used in more traditional landscaping as shrubs or hedges. Some resemble boxwoods, yet offer interesting colors — pink, red, burgundy — depending on the time of year.
If you're thinking of using berries as ornamentals, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are among your best bets. They're compact, they produce fruit, and some are even attractive. There's also a geek factor, something to impress visitors.
