by Natalie Foofat, Patio Gardens –
Early winter gardening on the West Coast is a season not to be overlooked. As fall transitions towards the winter holiday season, our gardens can be a spectacular place for beautiful decorative berries, more than just the classic red holly berries. Many shrubs provide berries for garden interest, some of which can also be used for winter festive décor in wreaths, centerpieces, floral arrangements or fresh garlands.
Here are seven shrubs that produce great berries:
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo). Small clusters of bright red berries live atop colourful orange-red foliage. These small semi-evergreen shrubs grow four to eight feet tall, and you can rest easy as it’s not related to aggressive bamboo at all.
Ilex verticillata (winterberry). A classic in winter floral arrangements, with bright red berries on long bare stems. Growing to around 10 feet tall, this deciduous shrub can grow in those wet spots in the yard.
Viburnum opulus (European cranberry bush). The orange-red berries seem to glow from the inside out, as they hang delicately on the stems of this lovely shrub. Try “compactum” for small gardens with its reduced compact size of four to six feet tall.
Viburnum dentatum “All That Glitters” (arrowwood viburnum). Glossy blue-black berries in cluster adorn this upright shrub. The handsome leathery leaves are deciduous. Plant near “All That Glows” for pollination, or try the new self-pollinating variety: “Glitters & Glows.”
Cornus sericea (red twig dogwood). A native to the Pacific Northwest, this shrub has great red stems which are used for décor in planters and vases, plus white berries for contrast. A similar plant, Cornus sanguinea “Midwinter Fire” has stems that start yellow at the base, turning to orange and ending with fiery red tips. Planted in groupings, this can be a stunning sight in the winter.
Skimmia japonica (Japanese skimmia). Not only does this evergreen shrub have glossy foliage year round, it produces fragrant flowers in the spring, then berries in the fall/winter. These part-shade garden plants are male, female or hermaphrodite. The female plants are the ones that have prolific berries.
Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ (beauty berry). This shrub has the most unique, iridescent purple berries giving it its’ name. They really are stunning! A new variety called “Pearl Glam” has the bonus trait of striking, dark purple foliage throughout the year.
Natural holiday décor can be made utilizing what you find in your garden. For a modern minimalist look, pick only a few stems of winter berries on long stems to place in a tall, sleek vase. Or bundle a variety of eucalyptus, velvety magnolia foliage, fir, cedar or pine with pops of festive berries to create a more traditional holiday greens arrangement, which smells great.
There is beauty all around us in this City of Gardens. In your garden, don’t forget that the beauty can be more than just the flowers: there is fun foliage, fall colours, and glorious berries.
*Not all berries are edible, and some of the berries listed above can be poisonous if ingested.
