Comments on: Berries in the winter garden

By: Successor

Successor — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:39:22 +0000

And then of course there are the berries of Pyracantha, which the birds greedily help themselves too. That’s an enticing picture of Photinia, but by now, at the end of February, the leaves are blotchy and it is not such a pretty sight.

By: gardenmentor

gardenmentor — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:23:08 +0000

I’m with you on the berries. Some of the best late winter garden entertainment is watching a flock of robins slurping down fermented cotoneaster or holly berries and then dropping stone cold drunk to the ground. I just don’t like it when they fly into windows!

By: Andrea Bellamy

Andrea Bellamy — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:32:43 +0000

Christian – I love snowdrops, too. Always a welcome sign that winter won’t last forever.

Laurel – nice! Are most of those native to your area?

Shelby – thanks!

Willi – I know exactly what you mean. Maybe that’s why I picture beautyberry in a Willy Wonka-themed garden.

Cindy – yes! Me too. I’ve read mixed things about the Pernettya and whether birds like them. My mom (whose garden that photo was taken in) says she’s never noticed birds eating them.

By: cindy

cindy — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 14:37:49 +0000

i love berries against bare branches in the late fall and winter, love the Pernettya mucronata, i need something smallish in my tiny space and they sound perfect, i’ll have to research if birds like them too!

By: Willi

Willi — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:02:46 +0000

I love the Dr. Seuss like fruit on Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo). For some reason, I can’t bring myself to appreciate beautyberry. The color of the berries seems unnatural and I kind of think the shrub look like someone has glued Nerds candy all over the branches.

By: Shelby

Shelby — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:35:45 +0000

I always love reading Heavy Petal. I’m a gardener from Michigan, I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of Potting Shed Creations LTD. I came across it in a magazine once, and thought that you might enjoy it. you can find the online store here http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/pottingshedcreations/Catalog

I especially love the tree’s to be. Good gardening, and God bless.

By: Laurel

Laurel — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:15:03 +0000

Great post Andrea!

I don’t have any berries in my ‘garden’ but some nice ones that we can see in our area are highbush cranberry, American mountain ash, partridgeberry, fanleaf hawthorn, and sometimes elderberry, juniper, and the odd Saskatoon.

By: christianbarnardlandscapestudio

christianbarnardlandscapestudio — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:54:06 +0000

Berries………I just planted 500 Galanthus nivalis bulbs. Although the common snowdrop does not produce berries it sure lifts your mood at a time when the majority of the garden is at rest. Since we are off the topic…….let’s take the time to honour the sturdy seed heads of Dipsacus fullonum, or the ghost white stems of Rubus &$%&burni$@#!.