Many fruiting plants are native and beautiful with multi-seasonal interest, but rarely do I see them featured. Why is that? I am growing over 50 kinds of fruit on my one acre and it is a paradise. I live in zone 5 Vermont, too, so we get cold and snow as well as heat and rain. I planted a hawthorn just yesterday for wildlife and medicinal purposes. Today, I will be planting another paw paw, plum, gooseberry and apricot. These are beautiful plants. My serviceberries out front are some of the earliest plants to bloom. Their winter structure is lovely and when they fruit, it's a range from green to pink to purple and then deep blue/black. Stunning. They are a diminutive tree or shrub, so very garden appropriate. Why not plant things that also give you food or some other benefit? I have Cornelian cherries out back replacing a monster forsythia. I will have even earlier yellow blooms covering it and it is well behaved, doesn't need constant pruning (none) and it will give me beautiful red berries late in the summer which are great for juice. Sure, I have loads of flowers interspersed among all of my fruit, starting with snowdrops in February and ending with deep purple asters in the fall. They all serve a purpose, too. Color, medicine, fragrance, pollinator attractors or pest confusers. I have strawberries as a groundcover, which provides me with breakfast all through the year. My point? I'd like to see Houzz incorporate more "stacking functions" into their featured gardens. I realize some people are intimidated by growing fruit, but many types are maintenance free: American persimmons, pawpaws, rhubarb, serviceberries, che, goumi, etc. Broaden your palate, save on groceries and medical bills and build yourself your own garden of eden.

Many fruiting plants are native and beautiful with multi-seasonal interest, but rarely do I see them featured. Why is that? I am growing over 50 kinds of fruit on my one acre and it is a paradise. I live in zone 5 Vermont, too, so we get cold and snow as well as heat and rain. I planted a hawthorn just yesterday for wildlife and medicinal purposes. Today, I will be planting another paw paw, plum, gooseberry and apricot. These are beautiful plants. My serviceberries out front are some of the earliest plants to bloom. Their winter structure is lovely and when they fruit, it's a range from green to pink to purple and then deep blue/black. Stunning. They are a diminutive tree or shrub, so very garden appropriate. Why not plant things that also give you food or some other benefit? I have Cornelian cherries out back replacing a monster forsythia. I will have even earlier yellow blooms covering it and it is well behaved, doesn't need constant pruning (none) and it will give me beautiful red berries late in the summer which are great for juice. Sure, I have loads of flowers interspersed among all of my fruit, starting with snowdrops in February and ending with deep purple asters in the fall. They all serve a purpose, too. Color, medicine, fragrance, pollinator attractors or pest confusers. I have strawberries as a groundcover, which provides me with breakfast all through the year. My point? I'd like to see Houzz incorporate more "stacking functions" into their featured gardens. I realize some people are intimidated by growing fruit, but many types are maintenance free: American persimmons, pawpaws, rhubarb, serviceberries, che, goumi, etc. Broaden your palate, save on groceries and medical bills and build yourself your own garden of eden.

Just a few basic things for all of us to remember in planning outdoor spaces. Few areas of the country have no insects, and mosquitos in particular can be a real problem. Screened porches may be essential at night. No matter how nice a firepit is, by dusk the mosquitos arrive. Also, full sun can make diners and loungers uncomfortable especially on warm days, so don't forget umbrellas or overhead coverage and plan for the space they might need. Lastly, consider screening (fences/shrubs) that might be necessary to hide unappealing views that can't be eliminated. No matter how nice the patio or furniture you won't want to spend a beautiful afternoon looking at an untidy neighbors property.

Many fruiting plants are native and beautiful with multi-seasonal interest, but rarely do I see them featured. Why is that? I am growing over 50 kinds of fruit on my one acre and it is a paradise. I live in zone 5 Vermont, too, so we get cold and snow as well as heat and rain. I planted a hawthorn just yesterday for wildlife and medicinal purposes. Today, I will be planting another paw paw, plum, gooseberry and apricot. These are beautiful plants. My serviceberries out front are some of the earliest plants to bloom. Their winter structure is lovely and when they fruit, it's a range from green to pink to purple and then deep blue/black. Stunning. They are a diminutive tree or shrub, so very garden appropriate. Why not plant things that also give you food or some other benefit? I have Cornelian cherries out back replacing a monster forsythia. I will have even earlier yellow blooms covering it and it is well behaved, doesn't need constant pruning (none) and it will give me beautiful red berries late in the summer which are great for juice. Sure, I have loads of flowers interspersed among all of my fruit, starting with snowdrops in February and ending with deep purple asters in the fall. They all serve a purpose, too. Color, medicine, fragrance, pollinator attractors or pest confusers. I have strawberries as a groundcover, which provides me with breakfast all through the year. My point? I'd like to see Houzz incorporate more "stacking functions" into their featured gardens. I realize some people are intimidated by growing fruit, but many types are maintenance free: American persimmons, pawpaws, rhubarb, serviceberries, che, goumi, etc. Broaden your palate, save on groceries and medical bills and build yourself your own garden of eden.

Many fruiting plants are native and beautiful with multi-seasonal interest, but rarely do I see them featured. Why is that? I am growing over 50 kinds of fruit on my one acre and it is a paradise. I live in zone 5 Vermont, too, so we get cold and snow as well as heat and rain. I planted a hawthorn just yesterday for wildlife and medicinal purposes. Today, I will be planting another paw paw, plum, gooseberry and apricot. These are beautiful plants. My serviceberries out front are some of the earliest plants to bloom. Their winter structure is lovely and when they fruit, it's a range from green to pink to purple and then deep blue/black. Stunning. They are a diminutive tree or shrub, so very garden appropriate. Why not plant things that also give you food or some other benefit? I have Cornelian cherries out back replacing a monster forsythia. I will have even earlier yellow blooms covering it and it is well behaved, doesn't need constant pruning (none) and it will give me beautiful red berries late in the summer which are great for juice. Sure, I have loads of flowers interspersed among all of my fruit, starting with snowdrops in February and ending with deep purple asters in the fall. They all serve a purpose, too. Color, medicine, fragrance, pollinator attractors or pest confusers. I have strawberries as a groundcover, which provides me with breakfast all through the year. My point? I'd like to see Houzz incorporate more "stacking functions" into their featured gardens. I realize some people are intimidated by growing fruit, but many types are maintenance free: American persimmons, pawpaws, rhubarb, serviceberries, che, goumi, etc. Broaden your palate, save on groceries and medical bills and build yourself your own garden of eden.

Many fruiting plants are native and beautiful with multi-seasonal interest, but rarely do I see them featured. Why is that? I am growing over 50 kinds of fruit on my one acre and it is a paradise. I live in zone 5 Vermont, too, so we get cold and snow as well as heat and rain. I planted a hawthorn just yesterday for wildlife and medicinal purposes. Today, I will be planting another paw paw, plum, gooseberry and apricot. These are beautiful plants. My serviceberries out front are some of the earliest plants to bloom. Their winter structure is lovely and when they fruit, it's a range from green to pink to purple and then deep blue/black. Stunning. They are a diminutive tree or shrub, so very garden appropriate. Why not plant things that also give you food or some other benefit? I have Cornelian cherries out back replacing a monster forsythia. I will have even earlier yellow blooms covering it and it is well behaved, doesn't need constant pruning (none) and it will give me beautiful red berries late in the summer which are great for juice. Sure, I have loads of flowers interspersed among all of my fruit, starting with snowdrops in February and ending with deep purple asters in the fall. They all serve a purpose, too. Color, medicine, fragrance, pollinator attractors or pest confusers. I have strawberries as a groundcover, which provides me with breakfast all through the year. My point? I'd like to see Houzz incorporate more "stacking functions" into their featured gardens. I realize some people are intimidated by growing fruit, but many types are maintenance free: American persimmons, pawpaws, rhubarb, serviceberries, che, goumi, etc. Broaden your palate, save on groceries and medical bills and build yourself your own garden of eden.