In Search of Berried Treasure
B
erry-bearing trees
and shrubs come into
their own in autumn,
creating colourful
displays that last well
into winter, which is
why they have been chosen
as the Horticultural Trades
Association’s (HTA) Plant of the
Moment for October.
From elderberries to rose hips,
crab apples to firethorns, the
addition of “berrying” plants
adds a new dimension to any
garden, with plants carrying
fruits and berries through
autumn and into winter.
Berry-producing plants also
provide home grown food for
hungry birds and wildlife too,
enhancing their appeal and
value to the garden.
Evergreen shrubs provide
structure and form to the
garden throughout the year,
but many produce early
displays of flowers followed
by autumn berries. One of
the best compact shrubs for
borders or patio pots is a
Skimmia with a mouthful of a
name, Skimmia japonica subsp.
reevesiana. Don’t let this put
you off as its displays of bright
red berries are second to none!
Also check out the compact
and spreading Viburnum
davidii, a hardy shrub with
distinctly veined evergreen
foliage that produces the most
unusual metallic-looking blue-
black berries. It really is quite a
talking point.
To create seasonal pots for
autumn colour include a small
Gaultheria mucronata carrying
brilliant berries in pink, red
or pure white. Combined with
pansies and violas, trailing ivy,
heather, carex or skimmia your
pots will put on a display that
lasts for months.
Trained against walls and
fences, firethorn is a valuable
evergreen shrub. Its thorny
stems make it a great choice
for producing secure garden
boundaries, but don’t let the
spines put you off buying
Pyracantha. They provide
valuable nesting sites for
birds, flowers that attract bees,
and red, orange or yellow
berries to feed birds into
winter
With such a rich and diverse
range of plants to choose from
it really is possible to fill your
borders with berried treasure
this autumn!
TOP FOUR SHRUBS WITH
COLOURFUL FRUITS AND
BERRIES
Firethorn : (Pyracantha
varieties)
Skimmia : Many female
varieties produce wonderful
displays of berries including
Skimmia japonica subsp.
reevesiana, Skimmia japonica
‘Nymans’ and ‘Obsession’. Male
varieties are equally appealing
with great flower displays, like
‘Magic Marlot’ and ‘Rubella’.
Gaultheria
Mucronata: (Formerly called
PERNETTYA)
Cotoneaster : wide range of
berrying shrubs including
Cotoneaster horizontalis,
Cotoneaster ‘Coral Beauty’,
C. ‘Cornubia’, C. lacteus, and
many others.
TOP TIPS FOR PLANNING AND
PLANTING
g Many shrubs can be given a
permanent home in large patio
pots. Plant pots using a free-
draining loam-based compost.
g Always stand pots on feet
during winter to prevent
drainage holes getting blocked
PHOTO Adam Pasco Media
52 Landscape & Urban Design