Monday, February 16, 2009

Valentines Day







I Know I am very late, But I hope you all had a wonderful Valentines Day, I know I did! Actually I worked all day with my brother, but to me, spending time with family is a wonderful day. After that I spent the night at my sister's house, so that my parents could have the house to themselves.
Here are some pictures that I took last Spring, these berries are called serviceberries, and are really yummy. They taste very similar to blue berries, except they grow on trees rather than a bush. Serviceberry trees are often used as an ornamental plant in many homes. Most people don't know that serviceberries are edible, they just know that birds go crazy over thesse berries. So if you can get the berries before the birds you are in luck. I know that last year, there must have been a bumber crop, because there were way too many berries for both the birds and two teenage boys. That is a lot of berries. Each day my brother and I would go to the trees and gather tubs full along with our stomaches. Last Spring, my brother wrote a post on it, to see it click HERE. They are very yummy, if you have one in your yard or in your neighbores yard, get ready to have a new addiction.

16 comments:

EB said...

Super pictures, and no, I'd no idea you could eat service berries :)

Zach said...

EB:
Yeah, These berries are really super yummy and I could just eat them all day...Acctually, I think I have!

Anonymous said...

A bonus to this beautiful plant! I have to add more berry producing specimens to my garden.

Roses and Lilacs said...

I have a couple service berries in my yard and agree, the fruit is delicious. They make a great understory tree and put on a nice flower display in early spring.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

Love the photos Zach! Glad to hear that the serviceberries really are yummy, because I was just researching them yesterday, as I plan to put one in the back yard this spring. I really have a thing for heart shaped anything, that's why I've wanted a heart shaped topiary for so long. Hope I can keep it healthy!

Zach said...

Racquel:
I will agree with you, I need to add more fruit berring plants into my yard. I know I wont be doing it this year, due to my being gone all summer.

Marnie:
The flowers really are beautiful, the berries are wonderful and the plant has wonderful form. It should really be staple for every yard!

Robin:
Definatly put one in the back yard, When looking for one, be sure that you get the right variety, due to some being sort of sour. On a whole, I have only found sweet ones! I really liked your heart ivy topiary. I agree with you, I would rather have some thing that will last longer than cut flowers. I have complete confidence in your ability to keep it healthy.

Dan said...

Nice pictures, I really like the last one. I will have to try a serviceberry this season, thanks for posting about it.

Jan said...

I've heard of service berries but don't know when or where...i think it was a long time ago. I wouldn't have even known they grow on trees. And they really taste like blueberries? Wow, that would be a nice tree to have. I wonder if they have the antioxident level that so many health enthusiasts praise blueberries for?

Joe said...

Cool photos! I have never tried serviceberries...they sound delicious!

Zach said...

Dan:
You really do need to try them this year. Even if you don't have a Serviceberry tree in your yard, that is okay, I am sure that one of your neighbores will have one or just keep your eyes on the lookout for one near shopping centers.

Jan:
I would think that Serviceberries are high in antioxidants, they have that deep color like most of the fruit that are.

Parsec:
Serviceberries really are yummy, and I know you will ove them. At the store where I work, I would let my all the people who wanted to try them have some. There was pleanty to share.

tina said...

You are not kidding! I LOVE the taste of these guys and this tree is highly recommended here. I am looking for a good specimen right now. I hope when I find one that it will produce this many berries. Happy Valentine's Day to you too!

Anonymous said...

Hey Zach, feel free to reference my blog in your future post about orchids!

buedamau said...

i didn't know this tree yet, but i love the blueberries, even if they are kind of odd to my smal country. but it seems i was not the only one...
i have a small incentive to you waiting at my balcony, a blog award, if you'd like to receive it just stop by...

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi Zach,
Nice blog you have here ... I'll have to stop by again (got here from your comment at Marnie's place).

I didn't know you could eat Service berries either ... around here (in the older part of the city) we don't see too many, but they're rampant in the burbs, where everyone says they ferment on the trees, the birds eat them and get drunk. I always thought they were just a parking lot ornamental before now, so thanks for the education on them. :-)

Dawn said...

Those look so yummy! I'll have to keep my eye out for them

Anonymous said...

Hi Zach, Hey your blog is great. And aren't you loaded with talent making hearts of berries. Someone gave me a wreath with dried berries in it so I suppose you could dry them and put a backing on it to keep - or give to someone.
I was reading how you came about your computer name. That's great you play violin. When my aunt was alive she got a computer and wanted a name - I gave her pianogal. Kinda like your vioboy. And could she play - she sounded like a player piano and all these years I thought my Grandma taught her to play and found out she never had a lesson. I play my piano by ear also but not even close to what she could do. I finally figured it out and told her I knew why I couldn't play the wonderful fast music that she could - I didn't have that bounce in my butt like she did when she played. ;-)
Sorry guess I sort of got off the gardening subject but I loved that you play violin and like classical music. Good luck choosing your camera - your pics look good to me now and I LOVED the video of a year in the trees. That was fantastic!