The message
from martin contains these words:

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 16:28:12 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from "Lucy" contains these words:

I underlaid a large Pyracantha with bark with the idea that fallen dead
leaves would not show up as much as with gravel. It is working up to a
point, but the blackbirds are throwing it all over the adjacent paving as
they search for insects. As they start at dawn and continue on and off
until dusk, it is hard to keep up with them. Does anyone know of a way of
stabilising the bark?

Concrete. You could paint it to look like fallen leaves.

or even Chatsworth House?

Chatsworth House wouldn't fit under a pyracantha.

Janet