Shrub suggestions

[MissMarplesNiece]

I'm looking for suggestions for a bushy shrub that fits the following criteria:

• Needs to be happy growing in a large pot or tub
• Grows to around one metre high
• Provides nectar and preferably some berries in autumn.

I've thought about maybe a gooseberry bush or a hawthorne- do you think one of these would be suitable? Other ideas?

Many thanks.

Hawthorn is a tree. You’ll need to keep it pruned to keep it to 1m, which means you’ll lose a lot of the blossom and fruit. Or you can rely on root restriction to maintain its size, in which case you’re basically treating it as a bonsai. I have a Sorbus acauparia (rowan) in a 15cm pot which fruits and flowers.

Gooseberry is a vicious thing. Try a blueberry instead.

Pieris can do well in a pot, evergreen, good for nectar in spring before there's much else, though there's no berries.
Did you want the berries for you, the birds or just decoration?

Hypericum might work. It can be pruned to keep it under control, has large flat yellow flowers which pollinators love, and if you don't dead head it has fruits in the autumn. Though I don't know what eats those.
Another is snow berry. I've not seen it in a pot, but I imagine it would be ok. It has lots of tiny flowers in the summer which in my local park are full of pollinators, and in the winter is covered in white berries.
Another option is a winter flowering honeysuckle. Mine is in the ground but think it would do well in a pot. It has lots of flowers which is smothered in bees in the winter and then has little berries in the summer/ early autumn.

Any berries/fruit would be for birds.

A blueberry is a good suggestion. We have about 8 in pots (they need ericascious soil). Little white blue shaped flowers in spring; berries in summer; & in autumn some varieties leaves turn red. They just need feeding & pruning.
Gooseberries are viscous! The thorns are about 1cm long!
You could look at thornless blackberries or raspberries too.
Or Saracocoa (fragrant box) which flowers in winter & has berries in spring?

Need to specify which Hypericum - there are lots! I'd suggest Tutsan, Hypericum androsaemum. The other large one, Rose of Sharon, Hypericum calycinum, although it has bigger flowers, I think would be too vigorous and just look scruffy.

Skimmia has sweetly scented white flowers in spring and, if you get var. Reevesiana, is self fertile, so red berries in autumn, which persist until the following summer, so you have red berries and white flowers at the same time.

Though clearly the fact that the berries persist means the birds aren't that fond of them. So you could try a shrubby honeysuckle instead.

I've got a standard cotoneaster in a pot that has berries the birds pick off. Lovely flowers for the bees.

I have Tutsan growing wild in my garden - it pops up all over the place, so unless your tub is surrounded by concrete be prepared for some weeding!

What about a hydrangea?

I have a pyracantha growing in a large pot. I've had it around 5 years and it's very happy. Lots of white flowers for the bees, and lots of red berries in the winter.

Unless it's a lace cap variety it won't be any use to pollinators & has no berries.

I’ve been trying to get rid of Rose of Sharon for 30 years. They’re both a nuisance

I didn't know that, just googled and now know a lot more about hydrangeas and bees. Thank you!

Berberis?

I've got a Sambuca (elder) in a pot. The dark one with the dissected leaves, Ravenswing?. Beautiful umbels of flowers that contrast nicely with the foliage and followed by berries.

Oh yes I have an elderflower - Black Lace which is dark purple lacy leaves, pinky white flowers & dark purple black berries. Also have a standard elderflower but it's not flowered yet.

Cotoneaster is amazing for bees - and the birds do seem to enjoy the berries

I have two hollies in pots that meet those criteria. The birds don't tend to eat the berries until late into winter (which is good, because they are there for xmas) but they do eat them and once they start, they finish them off.

Lots of interesting ideas here for me to consider.

Obviously you need more than one pot!

I was thinking that, @ErrolTheDragon !