I laugh loudly at your suggestion, Mike - and all in good fun of course. You speak like a true zone 8er, where broadleaf evergreens leap and frolic in the benign surrounds of the Puget Sound and general Pacific northwest climatic passivity. The subject of our discussion apparently resides in zone 4 - not the home to a plethora of broadleaf evergreens, though certainly coniferous choices can be happy there. Winters can be brutal to all ranges of flora, but especially so to those plants which retain live foliage. As a landscape architect, I'll also call you out about the presumptive statement that foundation plants must hide the foundation. If you had a handsome house made of patterned brick, marble, cut stone, or - perish the thought - all heart western redcedar - would you be so quick to cover it up? The term "foundation plantings" is almost an archaic term which dates back to an era of construction where cheaply constructed structures brought the cement block "foundation walls" up above grade, and then built the more attractive walls of the structure above that. Shrubs were used in a utilitarian fashion to cover up the cement block, which was sometimes "exposed" up to five feet high. Today, that's a relatively rare condition, but not altogether gone. Much more, houses are built with all the attractive exterior elements dressed to ground level - negating the need for foundation, base, makeup, blush, powder, or any other cosmetic requirement from plants. You can plant what you want, where you want - suit yourself. In fact, a deciduous plant that provides a long berry-laden show through winter months is a stellar choice for light colored exterior treatments of homes. If I had a house clad in white or cream siding (which could include other materials like light toned sandstone or gray limestone), plants like Winterberry Holly - with bright red fruit sparkling in the most wanton fashion - would be the absolute talk of the town! This is not a new idea. I - long ago - worked for an enterprise that had limestone veneer on the walls of their buildings. I personally planted hundreds of 'Winter Red' winterberry holly as masses gracing the front of these buildings. After each winter snowfall, shutterbugs could not engorge themselves with enough images. So, basilno: grace us with some images of the sites where you are making these decisions. We can talk about plants till the bovines return to domiciles, and we can talk about the relative merits of generational design choices accordant with architectural styles - all with no real meaning unless we know a bit more about what you will be living with, AND WHERE YOU LIVE.

I would guess that the missing fruit is a water issue. Around here winterberries are a native wetland shrub. They will grow fine in ordinary garden soil, but I can't imagine that they would be happy with getting too dry. Mulching the soil well to keep the soil moisture even may help also. To see if the fruits are aborting and dropping or being eaten, you could spread a sheet under shrub next summer once the berries start forming to see what drops. Restorephoto - If you want to keep your winterberry fruit for longer, you can cover your shrubs during fall migration season with bird netting. I guess it depends on whether you value feeding the birds or having the berries more. Small crabapples might be a good substitute for the winterberries since they tend to get eaten in the spring and so are on the shrubs all winter. They won't be as bright by then, but it's fun watching the early spring migrants filling the crabapple trees to eat the fruit as soon as it thaws. Vickie - Most often newly planted shrubs won't flower or fruit for a few years as they need to grow roots and then develop some size. I don't usually give up on a woody plant for 5 years or so unless there is a disease or insect problem. Even then, the fruit will be limited the first few years it produces.

Marsha, If you use glycerin, mix equal parts of glycerin and water. With antifreeze, use it just as it is, or you can thin it with alcohol. Always be careful about where you put your antifreeze because the methyl alcohol in it is toxic. Prestone makes an antifreeze called "LowTox" that's a mixture of glycerin and isopropyl alcohol. It's much safer if you can find it. Put the cut stems in the solution and you should be able to see it as it's taken up the stem, about 2-3 weeks.

Dear winterberry growers, I have a wet, winter garden and focus on winter interest plants as winter is my longest season here. Here are more things I've learned from growing winterberries: 1. Be patient. They take about 3 years to settle in. They will set fruit in August and then drop it soon after for several years. This is normal. Don't despair. 2. They are wind pollinated, which is why the male has to be within "X" feet of the females. One mature male will pollinate up to 5 females if at the right distance. I have also planted small male plants right next to females so they grow together. 3. Be accurate. You must have the right male for the female, as noted in e-mails above. 4. Males tend to grow larger/sucker more than females over time as they don't spend all their energy setting fruit. 5. Bluebirds flock in my yard and eat the winterberries typically by Jan 1. The berries need to freeze/thaw often for the fruit to be palatable to birds. 6. Try the dwarf form Red Sprite (about 3' tall and wide). They set huge berries that last until spring. Birds don't tend to eat these dward-variety berries. I grow the dwarf in shade and sun, and it does better in shade. 7. All winterberries really need is the right pollinator and plenty of moisture. They love wet feet in winter. 8. If there is a drought in August, they may drop their fruit out of stress. Doesn't hurt the plant. 9. Starting after leaf drop, deer eat the outer branches of winterberry, fruit and all. I cover the most-visited plants with black bird netting which is 100% effective and invisible from 6 feet away. Remove netting before they leaf out in spring or you'll be sorry. Winterberry is lovely from Sept through Jan. They look pretty with green leaves in Sept, have lovely yellow leaves in Oct, and have great berries once established from Nov-Jan. I have never pruned them. Happy plants sucker on the sides so you can give them to friends. I have alternated winterberry and yellow-twig dogwood (all moisture lovers) and it is stunning in winter sun. Put this combo in front of an evergreen hedge, like pine trees, and it is stunning. HAve to be ruthless to the yellow-twigs in spring or they'll crowd out the slow-growing winterberries. Go winter!