Planting Small Fruiting Plants within the Landscape an Age Old Idea

What do Europeans know that we, Americans, don't? Well, they've been planting fruiting plants right alongside shrubs and perennials for centuries. It's time we followed suit and did the same.

The average American home should be able to incorporate 3 to 6 blackberry or raspberry plants. Taller growing blueberry shrubs make a good choice as a hedge. Strawberry plants can be planted in unused open areas and make a great substitute for growing grass.

Cheryl Jones, owner of Greenwood Nursery, notes, "I've been promoting the European concept of planting small fruiting plants within the landscape for the last 10 years in our gardening newsletter, on our website and to customers. It's such a great feeling to be able to provide yourself and your family with the summer's fresh fruits that came from just outside your door."

Fruiting plants do require mostly sunny areas and soil with high organic content which can be accomplished by adding aged compost or aged manure mix in the holes at the time of planting.

Visit GreenwoodNursery.com to buy small fruiting plants for your landscape.

Eating fresh blackberries, blueberries and strawberries as they mature over the summer months is so refreshing and to know that they came from your own plants is comforting.

Steve and Cheryl Jones started Greenwood Nursery, McMinnville, TN, in 1978 as a  propagation and wholesale nursery. In 1998, they took their plant catalog online offering a wide selection of garden plants to the home gardener, and, now, Greenwood Nursery is an online plant nursery and garden center shipping plants throughout the continental United States.

For further information or to place an order, please visit https://www.greenwoodnursery.com/.  Questions may be sent by email or by phone during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm central time.

Best Garden Plants to Eat from Your Garden!

Which are The Best Garden Plants To Eat? Creating a garden is a reflection of your unique style and personality. If you enjoy preparing foods with fresh ingredients, you might want to think about incorporating affordable garden plants to eat into your landscape. Planning a garden that includes edible plants can add interest and provide pleasure to your senses, and they can help you make delicious summer recipes to share with family and friends.

Sugar Mountain Kalinka Haskap

For a different garden plant treat, establish the Sugar Mountain Kalinka Haskap and the Sugar Mountain Blue Haskap as a set in your garden because the one pollinates the other. Grow Haskap flowering shrubs in full sun with plenty of water in well-drained soil, At maturity, these five to six foot plants, produce one-inch sweet summer berries that are a wonderful addition to frozen desserts, jams, wines, or just eating as a fresh or frozen fruit.

Nanking Cherry

A nice flowering and fruit-bearing shrub is the Nanking Cherry. It grows six to eight feet tall and about as wide, and the sweet-tart cherries are delicious used in pies and jams. This shrub is hearty, grows well in sun to partial shade, and will tolerate dry, sub-zero winter temperatures very well. The wildlife in your region will enjoy eating the fruit too.

Mint

There are several varieties of fragrant and tasty mint for the garden. You may want to use them for container gardening because frankly, mint needs to be contained or it may take over. However, if you are looking for ground cover plants, any of the mints will work. Try some of the newer varieties such as Pineapple Mint, Chocolate Mint, and Apple Mint, or there is always the old favorite, Blue Balsam Peppermint. They all smell delightful and each has a different look. Mints pair beautifully in fruit dishes and summer drinks. If you are looking to feed the butterflies and bees, several mints bloom mid to late summer and make perfect plants to eat nectar.

There are many edible garden herb plants and small growing fruit plants at our online plant nursery. We invite you to signup for our gardening newsletter and updates, and please feel free to browse our site. You will find lots of information and the perfect edible plants to grow among your already flowering shrubs and ornamentals. If you are landscaping a new garden, we have everything you need to succeed. We are always happy to answer any questions, and we are just an email or phone call away.

Mojito Mint Leaves Make the Best Authentic Cuban Mojito Cocktail Drinks

Prepare for summer entertaining with a selection of mint plants, including the Mojito Mint Plant for making authentic Mojito Cocktails.

If you haven’t tried a Mojito Mint Cocktail, you’re missing out. It is a sweet, fruity alcoholic drink that is very pleasing to the taste buds. Although easy to make, it’s a great way to impress your guests.

This mild flavored mint livens up fruit and grain salads, teas, fruit desserts and makes a wonderfully fragrant garnish for drinks, salads and desserts.

"Each year we add new herb plants and this spring our favorite is the Mojito Mint Plant", notes Greenwood Nursery owner, Cheryl Jones, "Since it really needs to be grown in a container, the Mojito Mint plant is perfect for balcony and patio gardens in part to full sun!"

Visit https://www.greenwoodnursery.com/mojito-mint to get started our video of How to Make an Authentic Mojito Mint Drink and purchase your plants.

 
Steve and Cheryl Jones began Greenwood Nursery, McMinnville, TN, in 1978 as a propagation and wholesale nursery. In 1998, they took their plant catalog online offering a wide selection of garden plants to the home gardener. Greenwood Nursery is now an online plant nursery and garden center that ships plants throughout the continental United States.

For further information or to place an order, please visit https://www.greenwoodnursery.com/ Questions may be sent by email or by phone during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm central time.

Gardening Tips for Beginning Gardeners

If you are a beginning gardener, don't be afraid to delve right in, as it isn’t meant to be difficult. Once you feel the connection, you’ll be hooked on gardening. If you don't know how to start, there is always an avenue of knowledge for you: gardening neighbors or friends, gardening books and gardening magazines to read, watch for new gardening trends, and the Internet to browse for more information. 

English: old books in Château de Breteuil, France (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At one time, it seemed gardening only appealed to the older folks. But nowadays, people of all ages, children, young adults, adults, and older folks alike enjoy gardening. They see gardening as a refreshing and rewarding hobby. With all the benefits that you get, being a busy, working person should never be used as a hindrance to start growing your own plants indoors or outdoors. You will see the big difference when you get to reap your own fruits of labor.

Would you enjoy a bed of beautiful, colorful flowers, a country garden full of wild flowers and shrubs, manicured lawn strategically placed with shrubs and trees, or just a simple backyard with lots of pots and containers filled with amazing plants? It’s all within your reach to have.  Learn the basics of landscape design.

For a starter, you will need these basic tools: trowel, spade, lawnmower, rake, and plants of your choice to grow. It would help a lot if you have a garden plan based on the space that is available. It will not be difficult to place flowerbeds, lawns, or paths. 

The kinds of garden plants that you will grow will depend on what you want, the availability, and the climate of your location. There are plants that grow only for the season, called annuals, and there are others that can be cultivated to grow year after year, often referred to as perennial. If you consider yourself a hobby gardener, then you would want to have plants that do not grow more than a few seasons. These are perennial plants that allow you to tend to things other than gardening.

If you don't know what plants to start growing, you can always ask assistance from your online plant nursery. The expert staff will know what plants will thrive specifically considering the climate in your area. Also, you can use the Greenwood Nursery Plant Finder online to narrow down your plant search.

The small young plants are great choice if you want to have an automatic decorative display on your garden. 

Smaller, younger plants are easier to plant and require less watering and care to get growing than larger container plants do.

Gardening should be this fun and exciting, and, of course, rewarding, even if you are a beginner. Ready for more? 

Here is a free online gardening course courtesy of BBC Gardener's World. Learn at your own pace.

Learn the basics of landscape design to understand placement of plants and how they are used. 

Gardening Tips for Beginning Gardeners by Greenwood Nursery.