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Old 05-05-2004, 08:08 PM
Kay Easton
 
Posts: n/a
Default Shrub Recommendation - Please !

In article , Joe McElvenney
writes
Hi,

Has anybody a shrub recommendation to fit these specs -


Has berries for bird-life winter feed.

Looks good.

Reasonably fast growing.

Self-fertile (will plant both sexes if need be).

Mature height under 1.5 metres.

Partial shade (gets the westering sun).

Easy to find (on the net?).

Price not important (within reason!).


I've looked at Holly but haven't found one that quite
suits although I may have been looking in the wrong place.
The soil is well drained and of almost neutral pH.

I did think of red currant till I realised all the berries get eaten in
midsummer rather than winter!

Your preference would be a british native - if you can find a holly that
suits, they are good particularly for mistle thrushes. I don't know
whether it would be possible to keep a hawthorn within bounds and still
get berries? Rowan are popular but grow too tall. Elderberries get eaten
as soon as they are ripe.

Pyracantha are taken by birds but not as first preference, viburnum seem
to be lower down the pecking order and cotoneaster lower still. What
about a dwarf apple tree? - blackbirds in particular like apples.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm