Berries for the holidays

Including real red berries in your outdoor designs is a fantastic way to incorporate a bit of nature and a POP of great colours. Many of the berries that grow on our landscape plants look bright and beautiful against a backdrop of fresh snow. This is all to plan—Mother Nature’s plan. The red berries attract the birds, which eat the fruit and spread the seeds ensuring that the plant continues on. Brilliant!

When it comes to adding berries to your plants or wreaths, I definitely have a few favourites.

AMERICAN BITTERSWEET
While more commonly found in fall arrangements, I absolutely love including the bright orange and red berries in my planters and wreaths. The berries grow on the female vine, but most garden centres will sell a male and female plant in each pot to ensure that you get the pop of colour that you were looking for. Much has been speculated about the American Bittersweet being an invasive species, and it has been listed on the invasive species registry. Through the research of some diligent botanists, clarification between the innocuous American version and the aggressive oriental version, which has small blunt thorns, leading to the correct plant being added to the naughty list.

ROSA RUGOSA
This rose is a favourite in many east coast gardens. Also called Seaspray rose, Beach rose or even dog rose, I planted one just for the berries (rosehips). Not only do they look amazing in the winter, they have many culinary benefits. I love the flavour of rosehip jellies. They are often paired with hibiscus flower in exotic herbal teas and fermented to created rosehip wine. Some arthritis sufferers swear that the rosehip has medicinal properties as well, easing their swollen joint pain.

HOLLY
It really isn’t Christmas without a little holly somewhere in the house. Often known for the waxy leaves, which can be a solid green or even variegated. Holly berries, like American Bittersweet, form on the female plants only. If you have holly plants that are covered in little white flowers every spring, but never produce berries, then you have boys! The good news, one male holly plant can successfully pollinate many female plants. I always put the boy in the back of the group or in the middle of the hedge so that the more showy females get all of the attention. There is one definite downside to holly berries—they are poisonous. Twenty berries can be fatal to a small child so plant this specimen with care.

As you visit friends and family this holiday season, keep an eye out for those little pops of red in the gardens and bushes. Every time you spot one, think of me—wishing you a very Berry Christmas!  carson@carsonarthur.com