We are so happy that spring is here. We love to see Maine come back to life, especially after this hard winter. Having private space to be outside and being able to grow your own garden are some of the many benefits of owning a home.

Flowering shrubs or trees are a wonderful investment for your yard. They are beautiful, provide shade, attract songbirds and might even grow something you could use too. Here are some of our favorites.

Cornelian Cherry

My personal favorite. The cornelian cherry is part of the dogwood family. Cornelian blossoms are as yellow as a forsythia but bloom a little earlier. Ornamental strains are the most common, but you can get cultivars that grow sour fruit, which is used in jams and teas in Europe and Asia.

Arrowwood

Pink buds turn to white flowers, then produce bright red berries. By the fall, the leaves turn a rusty red and the berries turn dark blue, high in fat and sweet. Songbirds love them. Humans can eat them too, but the fruit to pit ratio is a little out of proportion for us.

Highbush blueberry

“Burning bushes” are classified as a severely invasive species in Maine and unfortunately, they are very popular. You could be replaced with highbush blueberries, a native plant whose leaves also turn bright red in the fall, and will produce delicious fruit a few years after planting.

Bayberry

People who spend time on Maine’s coastal trails might recognize bayberry, ideal for dry, sandy or gravelly soil. Not only will the shrub thrive where others won’t, you will have fresh bay leaves for cooking.

Tom and Julia Ranello have helped people find a community to love for over 30 years. Call them at 207-838-1651 or email at ranellogroup@homesinmaine.com for a free consultation on how best to sell your home or find a new one.