Gamekeeper's Request

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Palustris, Nov 5, 2007.

  1. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

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    I was asked this by our local gamekeeper on my walk today. He needs to improve the ground cover in some of the woods where the pheasant release areas are. The plants need to be shrubs rather than herbaceous, shade tolerant, not too rampant and non-thorned. Once upon a time they would have planted Rhododendron ponticum, but that is such a seed weed that in many areas it is considered as bad as Knotweed. The other plant often used was Symphoricarpus (Partridge berry), but that again is a bit of a suckering spreading thug. I thought of Viburnum opulus, native, easy and cheap and possibly V. davidii and maybe V, tinus. Perhaps Amelanchier too, but has anyone any other ideas?
    Oh and it needs to be able to be propagated cheaply and quickly and be CHEAP!
     
  2. walnut

    walnut Gardener

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    Cottoneaster springs to mind birds like the berries.
     
  3. Sarraceniac

    Sarraceniac Gardener

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    Palustris, if you want to grow cotoneaster from seed drop me a PM and I'll send you some.
     
  4. whis4ey

    whis4ey Head Gardener

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  5. Lavender

    Lavender Gardener

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    Leycesteria formosa (Pheasant Berry). Tough and easy, and birds like the berries. Very easy to grow from seed.
     
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