Friday, November

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9, 1990 - North Shore News ~ 25 a ee

Let berries brighten up winter

Nurseries generally have many plants on sale this month

ONCE AGAIN nature provides us with a vividly beautiful display of fall color. Any year that treats us with warm, dry weather well into fall also will reward us with an abundance of ripening leaves in gorgeous shades of red,

yellow and orange.

I know it scems discourteous to complain, but I do wish it would last a little longer. The trouble with fall is falling leaves.

Every year this pageant reminds me of the more traditional beauty pageant: A brilliant and gala event, spectacular from beginning to end — unless you are the one left to clean up. The beauty queen leaves while we are left to deal with the litter. Not to worry, a few months in the compost bin and then back to garden it goes.

But now that the party’s over, what do we do to brighten up those drab days ahead? There are very few plants willing to flower at this time of the year and many of those are a nondescript white or pale pink.

Now is the time we start taking notice of plants that produce ber- ries and other forms of colorful fruit. Unfortunately, these plants only become noticeable after the weather has turned ugly and driv- en us out of the garden.

Even if you did choose to brave the soggy elements, you would

have to be lucky indeed to find anything worth planting at that time. Most garden centres’ inven- tories would be depleted to such an extent that finding the plants you are after could be next to im- possible.

But the weather is still decent enough for you to enjoy a little gardening (J hope) and you should still be able to find some desirable plants ... and probably on sale at that!

So what do | call ‘‘desirable?”’ Well, besides the obligatory refer- ence to my darling wife,take alook at some of these:

The members of the pyracantha family are among the first plants to come to mind. They are evergreen, produce white flowers in spring and display clusters of red through yellow-orange berries from November to March.

The long, arching branches of the ‘Fire Thorns’ (a reference to the pyracantha’s thorny nature) are very useful up against blank walls or fences. As they do not ‘climb’ on their own, use small

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Pyracanthas prefer full sun, but they will produce berries even in light shade. Although good drainage is important and they are considered to be drought tolerant, a good supply of water during the dry season will keep them looking healthy.

The pernettya is another broad-leaved evergreen that can supply berry color throughout the

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winter months. It may not be as well-known as the pyracantha, but it is easily as colorful.

Use pernettyas as a low hedge or massed as a groundcover. The large berries appear singly and range in color from white through pink to rose-red. Sun and good drainage are even more important here.

| like plants that have more io offer than a few short weeks of color whether it be from flowers, leaves or berries. Plants such as mock orange, hydrangea, and for- sythia are numbered among my favorites because they don’t look like much after they have finished flowering.

As with afl rules there are ex- ceptions. The outstanding color of the fruit of the ‘Beauty Berry’ or callicarpa bodinieri is so unusual that I can forgive its untidy ap- pearance during the rest of the year.

Every autumn, after dropping its rose-purple leaves, the callicar- pas treat us to their unique clusters of bright pink-violet ber- ries. When planted in front of a dark evergreen background such as a cedar or yew hedge the ber- ries stand out like neon. Give them good sun to promote com- pact growth and a good crop.

And then there are the cotoneasters. There are more than 25 different varieties commonly available in the garden shops around Vancouver. These plants are commoners only because of their proven usefulness in the garden.

From ground hugging forms such as c. dammeri to the large, graceful, almost tree-sized c. salicifolius, all have showy red- orange berries.

One of the most commonly planted varicties, c. horizontalis with its herringbone patterned branches, has lost favor in the last few years. Its popularity will return as more rediscover its usefulness as a colorful addition to the fall garden when used as a groundcover, a low hedge, cover- ing for low walls.

Cc. ‘Hybridus Pendulus’ challenges the pyracantha as the perfect’ plant for fences and trellises. Although it, too, is evergreen, its large, bright berries are much showier than its cousin. This variety’s need for good sun and moderate drainage is typical of the cotoneasters.

Do yourself a favor and make one last trip to the nursery this year. You will coms to appreciate it during the drab days of late fall.

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