Today, whilst admiring the berries on my Callicarpa japonica, I spotted a
female blackcap warbler eating them. She was joined a minute or so later by
her mate. This is the third year running that my wife and I have had
blackcaps spending Christmas around our garden. They also eat from the bird
feeders, but prefer berries and any food they find on the ground. To
encourage wintering blackcaps and give a bit of colour at this time of the
year, perhaps we should all add a callicarpa to our garden plant
collections.

Aphodius

"Aphodius" wrote in message
...
Today, whilst admiring the berries on my Callicarpa japonica, I spotted a
female blackcap warbler eating them. She was joined a minute or so later
by
her mate. This is the third year running that my wife and I have had
blackcaps spending Christmas around our garden. They also eat from the
bird
feeders, but prefer berries and any food they find on the ground. To
encourage wintering blackcaps and give a bit of colour at this time of the
year, perhaps we should all add a callicarpa to our garden plant
collections.

Aphodius




Mmmmm I've been looking at them for quite a while now, off and on in ye olde
garden centres .....
Only problem .... garden not big enough .... I'll probably get one
....eventually :-)
L

The message
from "Zizz" contains these words:

Mmmmm I've been looking at them for quite a while now, off and on in ye olde
garden centres .....
Only problem .... garden not big enough .... I'll probably get one
...eventually :-)

When the garden's grown a bit bigger....

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)

Zizz wrote in message ...


her mate. This is the third year running that my wife and I have had
blackcaps spending Christmas around our garden. They also eat from
the
bird
feeders, but prefer berries and any food they find on the ground. To
encourage wintering blackcaps and give a bit of colour at this time
of the
year, perhaps we should all add a callicarpa to our garden plant
collections.

Aphodius




Mmmmm I've been looking at them for quite a while now, off and on in ye
olde
garden centres .....
Only problem .... garden not big enough .... I'll probably get one
...eventually :-)


Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old and is
just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started to
flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that the birds
have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
shrivel and drop off.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk

"Michael Berridge" wrote in message
...
:
: Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old and is
: just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started to
: flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that the birds
: have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
: shrivel and drop off.
:
: Mike
: www.british-naturism.org.uk
:
Poor birds!

K

The message
from "K" contains these words:


"Michael Berridge" wrote in message
...
:
: Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old and is
: just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started to
: flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that the birds
: have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
: shrivel and drop off.
:
: Mike
: www.british-naturism.org.uk
:
Poor birds!

The message
from "K" contains these words:
Do these people really think they are funny? It is
pathetic. This group now seems to consist - with a few obvious exceptions -
of too many people who have too much to say about nothing very much at all.
Do these people have so very little of interest in their lives that if there
is not a lot to do in the garden, all they can do is sit at a computer for
most of the day? Come on folks, it's almost New Year resolution time. Let's
all make one to widen our horizons a bit. Another one for some could be to
post here less.

Another New Year Resolution falls over before the starting post :~}

Janet

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
: The message
: from "K" contains these words:
:
:
: "Michael Berridge" wrote in message
: ...
: :
: : Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old and is
: : just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started to
: : flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that the
birds
: : have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
: : shrivel and drop off.
: :
: : Mike
: : www.british-naturism.org.uk
: :
: Poor birds!
:
: The message
: from "K" contains these words:
: Do these people really think they are funny? It is
: pathetic. This group now seems to consist - with a few obvious
exceptions -
: of too many people who have too much to say about nothing very much at
all.
: Do these people have so very little of interest in their lives that if
there
: is not a lot to do in the garden, all they can do is sit at a computer
for
: most of the day? Come on folks, it's almost New Year resolution time.
Let's
: all make one to widen our horizons a bit. Another one for some could be
to
: post here less.
:
: Another New Year Resolution falls over before the starting post :~}
:
: Janet
:
I know, but I couldn't resist this one ..... and it's still the old year
:O))

K

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
: The message
: from "K" contains these words:
:
:
: "Michael Berridge" wrote in message
: ...
: :
: : Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old and is
: : just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started to
: : flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that the
birds
: : have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
: : shrivel and drop off.
: :
: : Mike
: : www.british-naturism.org.uk
: :
: Poor birds!
:
: The message
: from "K" contains these words:
: Do these people really think they are funny? It is
: pathetic. This group now seems to consist - with a few obvious
exceptions -
: of too many people who have too much to say about nothing very much at
all.
: Do these people have so very little of interest in their lives that if
there
: is not a lot to do in the garden, all they can do is sit at a computer
for
: most of the day? Come on folks, it's almost New Year resolution time.
Let's
: all make one to widen our horizons a bit. Another one for some could be
to
: post here less.
:
: Another New Year Resolution falls over before the starting post :~}
:
: Janet
:
I know, but I couldn't resist this one ..... and it's still the old year
:O))

K

"Michael Berridge" wrote in a message:
Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old and is
just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started to
flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that the birds
have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
shrivel and drop off.

Interesting! The birds take all the berries from my callicarpa long before
March each year. The two blackcap warblers guarded the berries right to the
last few and then left us for other gardens in the neighbourhood. My 18
years old callicarpa is also just over 7' with an equal spread. The one
fault I find with most callicarpas is that they have rather brittle branches
that easily snap when weeding underneath.

Aphodius

K wrote in message ...

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
: The message
: from "K" contains these words:
:
:
: "Michael Berridge" wrote in
message
: ...
: :
: : Callicarpa don't require much space, mine is some 10 years old
and is
: : just over 7' high, took about three year before it really started
to
: : flower and set berries. This year is the first I've known that
the
birds
: : have taken the berries. Usually they hang around till March, then
: : shrivel and drop off.
: :
: : Mike
: : www.british-naturism.org.uk
: :
: Poor birds!
:
: The message
: from "K" contains these words:
: Do these people really think they are funny? It is
: pathetic. This group now seems to consist - with a few obvious
exceptions -
: of too many people who have too much to say about nothing very much
at
all.
: Do these people have so very little of interest in their lives that
if
there
: is not a lot to do in the garden, all they can do is sit at a
computer
for
: most of the day? Come on folks, it's almost New Year resolution
time.
Let's
: all make one to widen our horizons a bit. Another one for some
could be
to
: post here less.
:
: Another New Year Resolution falls over before the starting post :~}
:
: Janet
:
I know, but I couldn't resist this one ..... and it's still the old
year
:O))

As the original author, I also thought the reply was funny and laughed
at it. Hadn't realised just how my words could have been interpreted
when I wrote them. It's supposed to be the season of Goodwill, so when
someone actually makes a joke and is not slagging people off let's at
least appreciate it.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk