The horticultural market is booming: and we have to thank the under 35s, amongst others. They’re the generation behind the increasingly popular grow your own trend. A trend derived from a generation that simply wants to know where the food on their plate has come from. One of the more popular grow your own plants, being easy, beautiful backyard berries. 

 

Berry plants aren’t just beautiful to look at: the produced berries are high in vitamins and antioxidants, are good for your heart, have an anti-inflammatory effect and even help lower high cholesterol. A superfood that can be pretty expensive to buy in the supermarket: all the more reason to grow them in your backyard. 

 

Here are five varieties that produce an abundance of berries: some that are as beautiful as they are tasty: 

 

Edible berries 

1. Vaccinium Flamingo 

Vaccinium Flamingo produces lots of delicious, sweet berries and looks stunning. The gorgeous variegated foliage in the colours pink and green will bring a splash of colour to any garden design. An elegant beauty that richly produces healthy, sweet fruits. 

 

2. Vaccinium BonBonBerry® Blue Suede 

BonBonBerry® Blue Suede is an easy-going fruit machine. Being self-pollinating, just one plant is enough to produce loads of sweet, tasty blueberries. From your garden straight to your table: fast, delicious and super fresh! Blue Suede will be covered in masses of tiny, white flowers during spring, only to surprise you with a massive amount of blueberries when summer comes. In autumn, its green foliage turns burgundy. A good-looking vitamin bomb! 

 

3. Lycium Princess Tao 

Entirely fitting within the trend of the edible garden is Lycium Princess Tao. This goji berry produces deliciously sweet, shiny red berries from July to November. This superfood can be eaten both fresh and dried. The best thing? You don’t have to wait long to taste her sweet berries: Princess Tao gives fruit in the first year! 

 

 

4. Vaccinium Fireballs 

When you see the berries on Vaccinium Fireballs, you understand why this name was chosen. Fireballs produces an abundance of big, red berries that stay on the shrub for a long time. These red berries, also called lingonberries, are edible and can be used for delicious dishes such as homemade jam, berry cheesecake, or even steak with lingonberry compote! 

 

 

Not edible berries 

5. Pyracantha Red Star, Sunny Star & Orange Star 

Pyracantha Red Star, Sunny Star and Orange Star are absolute stars within the assortment. They have fewer thorns than other Pyracantha, are evergreen, flower abundantly around June and produce an overwhelming amount of bright-coloured berries from September onwards. These berries retain their colour until after Christmas!