Can you suggest some container shrubs for cold, windy shade?
QPat Richardson, Barnsley, South Yorkshire
AA shady area in a wind tunnel in a cold, northerly location is not the easiest situation for container plants.
If you want flowering shrubs I’d opt for an evergreen berberis flowering in mid-spring. Mahonia is another option but is late winter-flowering. Obviously, one of each would provide flowering interest over several months.
The other option would be to go for structural plants for year-round interest. A whole range of conifers would be suitable, ideally dwarf or spreading prostrate forms.
A small, upright conifer together with a wider-growing form in each container with a range of foliage colour from yellow through greens to blues would provide variety.