Monday 10 October 2011

Bountiful Berries


Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster 'John Waterer' - this vigorous semi-evergreen shrub is a magnet for Field Fares and Redwings

during the winter - they love the berries.  Most years it is absolutely smothered in them, but this year there aren't as many,  possibly because it was pruned quite heavily last year.  It has grown to about 15ft. high and is really more like a tree - come next Spring every last berry will have been eaten.  From the bedroom window I can watch Blackbirds gulping them down like there's no tomorrow.  Next year some drastic action, in the form of cutting off branches, will have to be done, as it is beginning to get too big for its boots.

5 comments:

  1. Lucky you if you see Field Fares and Redwings! Flighty xx

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  2. I have one too, the birds love the berries! Mine needs to be cut back quite hard at times to keep it under control.

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  3. How pretty Elaine. I love all the bushes that have berries and it seems the birds do as well. The big clusters on the Cotoneaster are so lovely.

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  4. Flighty - they come back to this area regularly and my bush in particular.

    the garden smallholder - mine has got out of hand, I'll give it a good old prune next spring.

    Lona - it does attract lots of birds even the sparrows use it as a play area.

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  5. So if a hard prune produces a 15ft shrub, what will you do to get it under control?

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