Plants that bear fruit in the summer generally dole their berries out as though by prior agreement, sharing the planting season so that each gets its turn and customers are fed from June through August. Each speaks to the locals who have time to learn where and when to find it. Raspberries, like strawberries, waft a fragrance. Blueberries and serviceberries speak in three colors. Green fruits are toxic and not yet nourishing. A rosy blush signals impending ripeness (resident animals monitor blushing berries like children watch cookies browning in the oven). The blue ones say “Eat me” very clearly. We don’t have to attend to these details. It’s like buying groceries once and watching meals prepare themselves for years.

Sara Stein–Noah’s Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Back Yards