BEST OF THE BUNCH.

GAULTHERIA (WINTERGREEN) YOU may see a lot of these small shrubs in garden centres bearing their colourful red or purple berries at the moment, and they can be easily grown in pots of ericaceous compost or in a garden with lime-free soil in partial shade.

Gaultheria is most commonly seen as ground cover under rhododendrons or camellias, but if you want a taller variety you can choose G shallon, which grows to 1.5m, producing dark purple berries.

Others, such as G mucronata, are more suitable to add low-growing interest to containers or borders, with their large porcelain-like berries in shades of dark pink, red and white appearing in November. Male and female flowers are nearly always borne by different varieties, so you need to plant more than one type to be sure you will have berries. Female varieties include 'Cherry Ripe' and 'Lilian', while male types include 'Thymifolia' or 'Male'.

CAPTION(S):

BERRY PICKING - select shrubs that will brighten your garden in the winter