Yay!! So glad you finally made it! It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm sure it's going to be satisfying just to get started.
I'm not sure what the flowers are, but I think the bush is a Beautyberry. I know I saw a post about them recently, but dang if I can remember who did it.
Edited to add link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callicarpa. It's a keeper!
Insect repellent
American beautyberry has been used as a folk remedy to prevent mosquito bites.[10][11] Four chemicals isolated from Callicarpa have been shown to act as insect repellents: borneol,[12] callicarpenal, intermedeol, and spathulenol.[13] The use of callicarpenal has been patented by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service as a mosquito repellent.[10]
I think that the post was from @papa-pepper, it you're thinking of the same post that I am. He did a video too.
https://steemit.com/homesteading/@papa-pepper/plants-on-the-homestead-american-beautyberry
Probably! I know there was some back n forth conversation on identifying it, which is most likely what's got my memory fuzzy on who it was. Thanks for tracking it down for @bobbleheadstead.
Man, that's what I get for not reading all of @papa-pepper posts, that was just a week ago and I would have remembered his post when I saw those berries the other day. In my own defense I was busy moving at the time. :)
Cool, a natural insect repellent. Maybe I should cut some down and put them in the mobile to help get rid of the bug infestation, lol. I saw 3 big patches of it today, that purple really stands out, I like it. Thanks
They are very well named! The color of those berries is stunning. If it works on the bugs, that's a bonus that just adds to the physical beauty.