From the Seashore to the Garden

Beach Plums ("Prunus maritima") and their several varieties no longer grow only by the seashore. Because they're a native shrub they're starting to appear as ornamentals in many gardens- far from any ocean. I was familiar with them as I grew up during the summers in southeast Massachusetts, but I never saw them flower since they bloom in May and I wasn't there at that time. So now it's a pleasure to have one of these shrubs in my garden so I can see it go from flower to fruit.
There are several ways you can use their delightful berries: the easiest way is to eat them straight off the bush, but they can be used in jams, jellies, sauces, and juices.
Music: Will’s Jams: “Eating Fruit is Fun”
My Facebook: Forage: Field & Forest
My Instagram: @blanche.derby

[@SarahDownie-kz9lh]

Dear Blanche, Your videos make my heart feel light and full of wonder. Everything about them, your style, your words, the songs and your presentation never cease to delight me. I forage much in England and even though much of the plants you create your videos about don’t grow around me I jump at the second I see you’ve posted a new one. They’re a balm for the soul and I’m always happier than I was before I’ve watched them. You’re reignite wonder. I would love to somehow know more about your life and really hope one day you release a book of your knowledge and style as I’m sure many of us, your loyal followers would love this. Warm wishes and keep doing you! Sarah

[@thederb720]

I was so honored by your comments--some of your sentences are poetic. I've written/illustrated/self published 3 books (pictures of which I'll try to post on my instagram page: @ blanche.derby--not sure they'll fit?) They're currently out of print. They tell more of my personal stories and have my illustrations to go along with them. I decided to do videos since they were a way I could reach more people (all over the world ) than my books would.

[@ProfesorPorcupine-yy5bt]

Oh that's a really good idea! I' think she would do a fantastic job on a wild edibles plant book. I hope it doesn't detract from making videos tho, cuz I really enjoy them. Since you forage in the UK, it might be worth growing some of the wild edibles she foragers for, so you could forage for them too! England also has lots of fantastic wild edibles like Allium ursinum for example, would love to forage for that in the U.S. too! Foraging & Gardening are the same activity, just different sides of the same spectrum.

[@karenholt9744]

Maybe I'll see them around here one day. I did rent a townhouse that had an ornamental plum tree in the front yard. The owner thought they were some kind of cherries because of their size (about double of the beach plums). One year there was a bumper crop and I canned as many as my daughter and I could harvest. I even bought those fruit harvesting baskets on poles for the occasion! These plums were not sweet, but I found if I added a lot of extra sugar, they made a super tasty plum kuchen! I'd love to have hickory nuts around to play with too. Thank you for the informative and artistic video. 😊

[@ProfesorPorcupine-yy5bt]

I've always wondered, if you have to add a lot of sugar to make them taste good, do they actually taste good 😆? How do they compare with the domesticated plum varieties? Surely they are just as good at least. Is there anything you notice about beach plum flavor that is not found or is unusual in other plums?

[@thederb720]

You were lucky to find that tree. Sometimes the skin of plums isn't as tasty as the inside pulp. A friend of mine peels the skin off and then eats them--a lot of work! Hickory nuts are the best! I hope you can find some.

[@thederb720]

Some of the beach plums are sweeter the the domesticated ones.--skin as well. It depends on the tree: some are more sour, some much sweeter. Domesticated plums may be bred for their size , and their flavor may be compromised? I don't like to use a lot of sugar with my fruits--I combine a not too sweet plum with other sweeter fruits so the sweeter ones as as the sugar source.

[@blackvx]

Thank you

[@thederb720]

Glad you liked this...

[@zuditaka]

🔪🍞🥞 Yummy! 😋

[@thederb720]

yes yes yes!

[@myceliation]

they make a very easy delectable wine of 8%9

[@thederb720]

Sounds like an interesting possibility...

[@ferferiify]

Love 🎉❤

[@thederb720]

thanks!

[@ProfesorPorcupine-yy5bt]

Another incredible video! Thank you! I'm so glad you are doing videos on garden plants as well! 6:14 wait, the skins actually have an edible usecase? Would that also apply to any other domesticated plum too? I've always spat out the skin because it tasted bad & too sour. Maybe in powder form they can be a spice?

[@thederb720]

Ah...the skins--yes I agree they can be sometimes bitter--it depends on the plum.Sometimes the most nutrition is found in the skins (?) so what I do with them is peel the bitter ones and add them to my smoothies with sweeter fruits. As a powder form to use as a spice--sounds like a good idea; first dry them, powder and then add to cereals.

[@ProfesorPorcupine-yy5bt]

@@thederb720 Yea, perhaps I'll try that with wild plums as the grocery store ones I don't trust with pesticide sprays. Have you ever found a non bitter skin plum? Or does non-bitter skin trait only exist in Peaches & Cherries? They're all prunus after all

[@Zeno362]

Love your videos.

[@thederb720]

i appreciate it...