Amateur Gardening – 10 August 2019

32 AMATEURGARDENING 10 AUGUST 2019

B

ERRYINGplantsareasmuch

a partof theautumnsceneas

fieryleavesandmellowmists.

Scarletcrabapples,crimson

rosehipsandthebrightorangebaubles

of pyracantha– theyglowlikeprecious

gems.Aswellascheeringthegarden,the

fruitsprovidefoodforbirdsandcanbe

cutforthehouse;some,suchashipsand

crabs,areidealforjelliesandsyrups.

Manyfabulousberryingplantsare

smalltrees– includingthecompact

crabappleMalus‘Adirondack’,which

producesa glutof bronze-redfruit,and

Sorbus‘CopperKettle’,whichshines

withamberberriesandredandorange

leaves.Butif youdon’thaveroomfora

tree,therearelotsof compactplantsthat

willenableyoutoincorporate berries

andhipsintoborders.

Low-growingCotoneaster

horizontalis, skimmiassuchas‘Redruth’,

Gaultheriasuchas‘PinkPearl’and

compactroses(includingTottering-by-

Gentlyand‘FruDagmarHastrup’)can

beplantedin flowerbedsnowtoensure

autumn interest. Alternatively, they can

begrownin containersbesidethefront

door,wherethey’llputa smileonyour

face each time you come home.

Foodforbirds

Climbingberryplantsalsofit easily

intothesmallgarden.Firethorns(try

PyracanthaSaphyrOrange)canbe

grownaswallshrubsandprovidea glut

of foodforbirdswhentheyberryin the

autumn.Likewise,theredberriesof

honeysuckles(includingLonicera

periclymenum‘Belgica’)areenjoyed

bybirdssuchasbullfinches,andcanbe

sentrompingthroughhedgingortrellis.

Otherberriesthatbirdsfindmoreish

includethoseof rowan,holly,hawthorn,

berberis,spindle,elderandcotoneaster.

Plant them in view of the house if you

wanttoenjoythesightof feathered

visitorsfeastinguponthem.

Gardenerswitha tastefortheunusual

willloveCallicarpabodinierivar.giraldii

’Profusion’,akathebeautyberry,which

haspurplebead-likefruitsandpurple-

bronzeautumnleaves.Otherless

commonplaceoptionsincludethe

yellow-fruitedguelderroseViburnum

opulus‘Xanthocarpum’,whichproduces

golden-amberfruit,andthewonderful

moyesiishrubrose‘Geranium’,whose

hugegourd-shapedhipsblazescarlet.

Asautumn’sshorterdaysstarttohave

aneffect,a scatteringof glitteringberries

andcolourfuljewel-likefruitsin borders

andcontainerswillprovidejustthelift

youneed– instantlytransforming the

mood from glum to glorious.

Hips,berriesandcrabapplescanelevatetheOctobergardenwiththeirgem-like

colours, saysHazel Sillver. Plant now for a stunning show in a few weeks’ time

Autumn sparkle with

Berrying plants

OrangePippinFruitTrees orangepippintrees.co.uk 01759392007

TrevorWhiteRoses trevorwhiteroses.co.uk 01603755135

Burncoose Nurseries burncoose.co.uk 01209 860316

Where to buy

BerriedtreasureslikeSorbusaucuparia

andGaultheriamucronata (inset) will

add autumn interest