Strawberries have always had a reputation for being an aphrodisiac. With their red colour and heart shapes, they became a symbol of Venus, the Greek goddess of love. In France, there was even a tradition of serving strawberry soup to newlyweds.

The first garden strawberries were produced 300 years ago in France thanks to king Louis XIV, a well-known admirer of the fruit. Strawberries originated through cross-breeding of the Virginian and Chilean woodland berries.

Blueberries helped the Allies to win World War 2. Studies of this period suggest that British  airmen who enjoyed blueberry jam had better night vision than their enemies.

Blueberries originated in North America. Native Americans discovered their benefits a long time before the white people's invasion. They believed which the berries, with their star-shaped blossom-ends, were sent by the Great Spirit.

The peach tree and its fruit were once worshipped in China - the fruit was considered sacred. It was forbidden to cut the tree down, and when the trunk decayed, it was burnt.

The common peach, or Prunus persica, belongs to the Rosaceae family. It comes from China, where its fruit was already being eaten 4000 years ago!

In many cultures cherry blossom is a symbol of the fleeting nature of life, life's transience but also beauty.

The Cherry is a member of the Rosaceae  family. Around 60 cherry species are cultivated in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, mainly eastern Asia.