The best shrubs for berries

Berberis darwinii AGM

With its small, glossy leaves, this evergreen is ideal for use as a flowering hedge. The warm-orange flowers appear in spring and are followed later by berries in an attractive blue-purple shade. H&S: 10ft (3m).

Viburnum davidii AGM

Many viburnums become toweringly tall, but this one is compact, with white flowers in the spring followed by brilliant blue autumn berries. For these you’ll need a female plant (look for one in fruit at the nursery). H&S: 5ft (1½m).

Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’ AGM

Truly striking; berries are an almost luminous purple, set against leaves that take on golden-purple shades in autumn. Long-lasting, fruits stick around after the leaves have fallen. HxS: 10x8ft (3x2½m).

Cornus alba ‘Siberian Pearls’

Dogwood is an attractive shrub for winter as the leaves drop to reveal vibrant red stems. This one also has brilliant-white berries that stand out particularly well against the scarlet autumn foliage. H&S: 10ft (3m).

Clerodendrum trichotomum var. fargesii

AGM

Tough and hardy. The highly scented, white summer flowers are a bonus, but the real stars are the turquoise-to-navy berries that follow, framed by their crimson calyces. H&S: 13ft (4m).

Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’ AGM

Never mind the underwhelming summer flowers, this shrub is worth investing in for the berries alone. Bright-pink with orange seeds, they create a sparkling display in borders. HxS: 10x8ft (3x2½m).