Strawberries

Strawberries have reached a new aesthetic zenith. Introduced in 1989, Fragaria 'Pink Panda' is familiar to most gardeners. The first pink ever-blooming strawberry (actually a Potentilla/Fragaria hybrid), hardy to USDA Zone 3, it was a breakthrough in its time, but the fruit is rather dry and sporadic (clever chefs can use them in ice creams and semi-freddi). A far better recent development is F. 'Viva Rosa'. A French introduction, this continuously blooming cultivar has larger pink flowers and good-sized, well-flavored fruits that can be eaten out of hand.

Few gourmands realize that their beloved alpine strawberry has a variegated twin, Fragaria vesca 'Variegata'. This comely counterpart has white-margined foliage and comestible fruit. It is a perfect groundcover or edging plant and is hardy to USDA Zone 4.

Fragaria x ananassa 'Variegata' is a bi-colored cultivar of our commercial strawberry, and fares quite well in alkaline soils. It succeeds in full sun or light shade and well-drained ground. It may revert to plain green if the site is too fertile. Be sure to use the attractive foliage of these varieties as garnishes for strawberry mousses, bavarians, and junkets.

Most gardeners relish raspberries and blackberries for pastries and desserts, while confining their errant brambles to the wayward, unsightly berry patch. However, several exceptional, beautifully flowered, delectably fruited Rubus selections are now available. Hardy to USDA Zone 5, 'Helen', 'Sylvan', and 'Veronique' don't have any thorns. They produce attractive pink flowers and tasty blackberries. When intelligently pruned, and kept under control with the help of rustic cages and hand-hewn wattle fencing, they are quite worthy of the border.

Rubus fruticosa 'Variegata' has neatly white-margined foliage with pink stems and petioles (leaf stalks), as well as clusters of good-quality blackberries. Light shade in areas with hot summer climes helps prevent sunburn. Average pH and fertile, well-drained soil is desirable. Try to avoid windy areas that are subject to early spring frosts.

R. spectabilis 'Olympic Double' is the double-flowering form of our native salmonberry. Hardy to USDA Zone 6, it produces fully or semi-double cerise flowers followed by early salmon-colored fruit. Fresh fruit tarts or macedoines show off their color to the fullest.