Berry plants tend to be small enough to look appropriate in any size yard. Most have attractive leaves and flowers––and, of course, the glossy, colorful berries are a great attraction too. Berries require minimal maintenance, as they are rarely affected by serious pests and diseases, and a good annual berry pruning routine will keep them healthy and shapely. The biggest chore for berry growers will be protecting the fruit from the birds and other passing critters. There are several ways you can begin to incorporate berries into your landscape. Edible berry bushes can be used as individual specimen plants or lined up as hedges. Low growers can be used as ground covers or edging plants. Vines can be trained along fences or over arbors. You can even grow some berries in containers to look good and have handy on the patio. Consider the following small list of easy-to-grow, attractive, and delicious edible berry plants to use in landscaping. Highbush blueberries are an excellent choice with their small white cup-shaped flowers in spring and their dazzling red color in the fall. Most don’t get taller than 6 feet and they can even be grown in containers. Lowbush blueberries only grow about 18 inches high. They spread by runners and with their ability to withstand dry soil, they make nice options for covering a spot where the grass doesn’t want to grow. Brambles are usually trained along supports to encourage more fruiting, but they will produce plenty even if they are left alone to grow along your fence. There is also a low growing raspberry, ‛Formosa Carpet,’ that is evergreen and spreads to form a mat ground cover. The fruit is different from the raspberries we’re used to, but it is tasty.
