Berries and Vines

Species: Rubus sp.

History: Nova red raspberries were developed at the AAFC Research and Development Centre in Kentville, Nova Scotia as part of a breeding program. They were bred as a cross between Southland and Boyne raspberries and released in 1981.

Why We Grow It: These nearly thornless canes bear a plentiful yield of bright red, large-sized berries. The finer textured fruit is less crumbly and has a bold flavour. Nova red raspberries are very hardy and are summer-bearing in colder climates and ever-bearing in warmer ones!

The second product photo shows Nova (right) compared to Heritage (left).

The third photo shows a Heritage and Nova raspberry tart Steph made!

Species: Vitis vinifera x V. rupestris x V. ripraria x V. labrusca

History: Osceola Muscat/ES.8-2-43 was bred by renowned grape breeder Elmer Swenson as part of his effort to mix French and North American grapes to create high-quality varieties that grow well in cooler climates. Osceola Muscat is a cross between four different species: Common grape (Vitis vinifera), Vitis rupestris, Riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) and Fox grape (Vitis labrusca). Swenson bred it on his farm near Osceola, Wisconsin and in 2010 the variety was named after the town. The grape's alternate name, Muscat de Swenson, is named after Swenson himself who passed away in 2004.

Why We Grow It: Osceola Muscat produces loose clusters of seeded, intensely aromatic grapes with notes of peach and apricot. The small-medium, thin skinned fruit is suitable for fresh eating or juice and wine. This is one of the hardiest 'muscat' varieties available and is relatively vigorous.

Species: Ribes rubrum

History: Pink Champagne currants are a cross between red and white currants. Although the exact origin is unclear, this variety was listed in the catalogue of William Prince's nursery in New York as early as the 1800s. 

Why We Grow It: Considered to be one of the best fresh eating currants, Pink Champagne produces beautiful translucent pink berries that have a sweet, delicate flavour. They are easy to grow and produce numerous clusters of hanging, pink berries.

Species: Hippophae rhamnoides

History: Aside from its Russian origins, it is difficult to determine more about Prorachnaya sea buckthorn in English.

Why We Grow It: This Russian variety boasts heavy crops of large berries with a high oil content. Even better, this variety has relatively few thorns which makes picking said berries that much easier for the grower.

Species: Sambucus canadensis

History: Scotia was developed at the Kentville AAFC Research and Development Centre in Nova Scotia. It is a seedling of another variety, Adams 2, and was released by the research station in 1960, alongside the variety Nova. It is grown commercially in Canada.

Why We Grow It: Scotia elderberries ripen early in the season and have the highest sugar content of any named cultivar- though also some of the smallest berries. They are great for a variety of uses such as making juice and wine, baked goods, and even tinctures. Eating the raw elderberries can cause adverse reactions so it is recommended that you cook them first!

Species: Ribes uva-crispa

History: Sébastien was developed in Ottawa.

Why We Grow It: This nearly thornless variety excellent red gooseberries that are good for fresh eating or making into pies and jellies. 

Species: Lycium barbarum

History: Goji berries are native to China where they are an important commercial crop. They spread to the UK in the 1700s where they have remained popular as hedgerows and have become increasingly common in North America due to the health benefits of the berries.

Why We Grow It: Goji berries a.k.a. wolf berries are well known in the health food industry for their high antioxidant levels. The plant grows prolifically, and must be trellised or grown against a wall due to it's weeping growth habit. The fruit itself is sweet, with a mild fruity flavour, however the seeds are a bit bitter and seem to sweeten after a mild frost later in the season. The fruit dries well, and makes for a unique tasting jam!

Species: Amelanchier alnifolia (aka Western Serviceberry)

History: Smokey (sometimes spelled Smoky) likely originated in Alberta. This productive variety was once the main cultivar grown in Canada commercially.

Why We Grow It: Smokey saskatoon berries are optimal for the fresh eating market with a mild sweet flavour. These berries are a great substitute for blueberries. Smokey is one of the best yielding varieties, and grows up to 12 feet tall. Saskatoons by nature are slow growing, and while they will bear fruit in 1-3 years, it can take up to 15 years for a full crop.

Photo by Cindy Malette from Burst

Species: Vitis labrusca x Vitis riparia x Vitis vinifera, and small amounts of other species of different Vitis from North America

History: Bred by Elmer Swenson in Wisconsin, Somerset is one of numerous varieties he created for growing in our cooler North American climates. This cultivar has become increasingly popular in recent years and has good potential for commercial growing. The variety was released in 2002.

Why We Grow It: One of the hardiest, highest quality seedless grape varieties out there, this is an excellent table grape: sweet, spicy, with strong notes of strawberry. The grapes have beautiful pink flushed skin and are most decadent if allowed to sit on a sunny window sill for a week or so after harvest. Although the fruit is on the smaller to medium end of the scale, the vines produce large, heavy clusters that more than compensate for the size of the individual grapes. The grapes have a firm texture with some crunch.

Species: Rubus parviflorus

History: Thimbleberries are a native plant closely related to raspberries and blackberries. Cultivated for edible, ornamental, and ecological reasons today, they have also historically been used by indigenous peoples as a source of food and medicine.

Why We Grow It: This is an excellent under-story plant that produces smaller, flatter berries than cultivated raspberries, but with a delicious sweet-tart flavour. Apparently young shoots can be harvested in spring, lightly peeled, and then boiled for an asparagus-like 'vegetable'- we haven't tried this yet, but would love to hear from you if you have! The thornless bush grows up to 7 feet tall, though can be kept smaller with pruning/trellising/tying down. The fruit grows best on 2-3 year old canes unlike raspberries, which makes this an ideal plant for living fences.

Species: Ribes nigrum

History: Titania black currant was developed by Pal Tamas in Sweden. It was bred as a cross between the varieties Consort, Kayaanin Musta, and Altaskaya Dessertnaya in 1969 and chosen for further evaluation in 1974. Since its release it has become one of the most popular currants in North America.

Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why Titania has become so popular. It produces large, juicy berries with a rich, mild flavour. It is also resistant to White Pine Blister Rust and mildew. The berries are great for a variety of uses, such as the black currant scones and black currant and blueberry tarts Steph made (see pictures)!

Species: Vaccinium angustifolium

History: Top Hat lowbush blueberry was released by the Michigan State University Agricultural Experiment Station some time before the mid to late 1970s.

Why We Grow It: This variety produces small berries with a rich sweet-tart flavour. It is a popular pick for bonsai and container gardening. Blueberries are great for baking, for example Steph made some wonderful black currant and blueberry tarts that are pictured here!

Species: Hybrid, contains Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia

History: Trollhaugen is one of several varieties created by grape breeder Elmer Swenson in Wisconsin as part of an effort to create more grape varieties that can be grown in our cooler North American climates. It was developed by Swenson in 1985 and released in 2000, although the variety was named by David McGregor, the first winemaker to market wine in Minnesota. Trollhaugen translates from Norwegian as 'troll mound' but it is possibly named for the Trollhaugen ski resort in Wisconsin.

Why We Grow It: These Concord-like grapes have a mild, sweet flavour and are seedless. The vine is very vigorous and cold hardy, and produces medium clusters of small to medium grapes. Excellent for the home orchard!

Species: Aronia melanocarpa

History: Viking was developed in Finland around the 1980s, likely looking to increase productivity. They succeeded and Viking is now the most productive of all aronia cultivars.

Why We Grow It: With slightly larger than average berries, very good flavour, and the best productivity of all aronia berries, Viking is a hard variety to turn down. Like other aronia berries, they can be a bit tart for fresh eating but are great when used for cooking, baking, wines, jams, etc. While the berries ripen in August, they can hang onto the bush for a couple months and tend to sweeten over time.

Species: Ribes rubrum

History: Developed in Holland, White Pearl currants, like all white currants, are actually an albino mutation of red currants. This variety has been popular in Europe for quite some time, although aside from its place of origin it appears there is little information on how it came to be. 

Why We Grow It: These delicate translucent berries are white with a pinkish-gold hue, making them delightful to see growing in the garden. They have sweet and mild flavour that is slightly floral. The plant itself is quite cold hardy and bears prolific crops.

Species: Vaccinium angustifolium

History: BB4 lowbush blueberry was discovered growing wild in a bush near a tissue culture lab near the small municipality of L'Ascension-de-Notre-Seigneur in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. Impressed with the quality and flavour, the lab decided to propagate these wild blueberries.

Why We Grow It: BB4 produces medium to large powder-blue berries, with a tasty, sweet flavour. The berries grow in nice clusters, making picking easy. Blueberries are great for baking, for example Steph made some wonderful black currant and blueberry tarts that are pictured here!

2026/2027 Staff Favourite

Becker currants are Jenni's favourite this year! In her words: “What I enjoy most is turning these currants into a homemade cordial. Their bold, tangy taste creates a rich syrup that captures the essence of summer. Mixed with chilled bubbly water, the cordial becomes an incredibly refreshing drink—crisp, lightly sweet, and bursting with distinctive flavour. It's simple to make and super packed with Vitamin C which helps boost your immune system, reduce inflammation, and support heart health. For me, Becker red currants represent a way of preserving something delicious, and they transform an ordinary glass of sparkling water into a refreshing treat!”

All Staff Favourites are 20% off. The Staff Favourite Discount cannot be combined with other quantity discounts.

Species: Ribes rubrum

History: These red currants come from the Becker family homestead near Wellesley, Ontario where we are located. This is a great way to try something truly local!

Why We Grow It: In our experience, Becker red currants are reliable and productive. The fruit produced by Becker red currants are larger than those produced by Red Lake and make a wonderful juice. They can also be used for cooking and baking, such as the tarts made by Steph that are pictured here!

Species: Vaccinium angustifolium

History: Brunswick lowbush blueberry is the second lowbush variety developed at the AAFC Kentville Research and Development Centre in Nova Scotia. It was discovered growing wild on a blueberry farm owned by Shepoddy Blueberry and Lumber Co. in New Brunswick and was selected in 1965 for further testing. Proving to be an excellent variety that grows well and is relatively disease-resistant, it was named for its province of origin and released in 1977.

Why We Grow It: Brunswick produces firm, medium-sized dark blue berries, bursting with sweet flavour. These lowbush blueberries grow into a compact bush, with glossy dark green foliage that turns a lovely red in autumn. Blueberries are great for baking, for example Steph made some wonderful black currant and blueberry tarts that are pictured here!

Species: Rubus sp

History: Chester Thornless was created and released as a collaboration between the Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Station, and Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. It was first bred in Illinois in 1968 and was selected for its thornless nature and cold hardiness. It was later released in 1985.

Why We Grow It: Chester Thornless is easy to grow and rewarding. It produces a reliable bounty of firm, sweet, juicy blackberries that are great for a wide variety of uses.

Pictured on the left: top: Chester, bottom: Illini Hardy

Species: Morus nigra

History: While the origins of the cultivar itself are unclear, Dwarf Everbearing mulberries can trace their history back to Mesopotamia and Persia where it is believed that Morus nigra originated. It can now be found naturalized in parts of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East where it has been cultivated for its edible properties. As a dwarf variety, Dwarf Everbearing is popular in gardens.

Why We Grow It: Soft and sweet with a hint of musk, it is hard to turn down fresh mulberries! In the right climate, Dwarf Everbearing will cycle in and out of fruiting for 10-12 weeks which gives you even more time to enjoy this lovely treat. It is also perfect for container growing, making a lovely patio plant in the summer and houseplant in the winter when pruned down to 4ft (for optimal fruiting).