Blackwell's Grove
Shrub Orchard
Part of our Sustainable Agriculture Initiative
Blueberries
Blueberries are very healthy for you and they’ve always been one of my favorite foods. We have our native varieties but the yeild is a little sparse compared to the named varieties. The Blueberry flower is difficult to pollinate and requires a special bee that can sing in just the right key.
Grapes
It’s hard to find anything better than a big cluster of grapes -everybody’s favorite. We have our own native varieties (Scuppernong, Muskedine, etc.) but they are really doing some marvelous things with cultivated hybrid grapes these days!
Currants
Currents are one of my favorite topics. We have our native varieties of course, but for a good sample of tasty fruit try some of the horticultural cultivars.
Plums are delicious and come in several varieties, from red to blue, to black. If left to ripen on the tree, there is not much sweeter than a plum.
Plums
Plums tend to grow in a thicket and make a small tree or shrub.
The same could be said of the Persimmon, especially the Japanese Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) which becomes a small tree. Shown here is our native Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) which eventually grows into a sizable medium-sized tree.
Apricots
Apricots grow somewhat like Plums, forming a shrubby thicket or even a small tree (if maintained).
Blackberries (and Raspberries) are delicious and produce well year after year, requiring very little care.
Rose hips (believe it or not) can be delicious, are high in vitamin C, and make a mighty fine jam. Some varieties produce better fruit than others.
Gooseberries are also delicious and make a mighty fine jam. It pays to grow the right kind so as to avoid blister and rust on your apples and other fruit. Cedars can also play a part, so it is good to get resistant varieties.