We moved here around two years ago and have no idea what small shrub this is. It has white flowers and then produces unusual shaped berries as in the photograph.
is it a sarcococca? Google that and see if you spot it. If it is, I'd be interested in a wider picture of it because I've just planted one. There are two main types i think, see how you get on.
I googled images of both, it's the viburnum tinus, the flower photos confirmed it.
thank you both for your input, much appreciated. We were worried about the berries as our dog is a scavenger and we don't want him poisoned. A Google search suggests we should remove it as many places list it as poisonous.
It's the berries that cause concern. We have others (such as box) that have various levels of toxicity which do not cause us concern. Berries however can be attractive to dogs and it would be nigh on impossible to remove all of them, the berries on research cause at the very least stomach upset/problems. We nearly lost the dog last week due to acute pancreatitis so anything that could give him further stomach problems we need to avoid.
it is a pity as its a nice shrub, but so are many others that don't produce berries that can easily replace it that won't cause concern.
David if you check back on the companions thread you will see what my old girl can do to an unattended tin of dog food. You will never stop him eating c**p. I almost lost her a few months ago because some artist had origamied a muffin paper into a sold triangle of greaseproof paper and tossed it over the wall into my mum's garden. She was almost a gonner until the vet went in after it.
You simply need to exercise caution and do your best but as has been said before pretty much everything in the garden is toxic to some degree. Don't give yourself a hard time looking for problems.
And then there was the time she broke into the bedroom and ate three chocolate oranges, two layers of M&S luxury chocolates from two differnt boxes and an undisclosed number of quality street...not to mention the wrapping paper!!!! What's that??? Chocolate is poisonous to dogs????
we aren't looking for problems thank goodness, it's just a quiet bit of mitigation.
Having removed said plant it opens up that part of the garden, immediately outside the patio doors, and gives us chance to change the planting. We inherited the garden when we moved in two years ago. We would never have planted that sort of shrub where it was.
With hindsight finding out about the berries might have given us an 'excuse' to remove it and start the planting from fresh, the way we want it.
I know what you mean about chocolates! Not many non dog owners know that, I mean they sell chocolate flavoured dog treats for heavens sake!
Put something nice and smelly outside your patio doors David. Maybe a philadelphus or a choysia. I have lillies in pots left by the previous owner and it's amazing how much of the scent comes in.
Now if I could encourage Bran to eat the roses he left I'd have a good excuse to dig those up. I'm not the world's biggest rose fan and they have me in tatters!
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is it a sarcococca? Google that and see if you spot it. If it is, I'd be interested in a wider picture of it because I've just planted one. There are two main types i think, see how you get on.
Looks like viburnum tinus to me
Thanks, I'll look those up and check in the daylight tomorrow.
cheers
I googled images of both, it's the viburnum tinus, the flower photos confirmed it.
thank you both for your input, much appreciated. We were worried about the berries as our dog is a scavenger and we don't want him poisoned. A Google search suggests we should remove it as many places list it as poisonous.
Cheers
Erm.... I wouldn't remove it, it's a standard garden shrub. Many things in the garden are 'poisonous' but not everything needs to get removed.
Obviously your decision, but I think it would be a shame to get rid of it (I have one in my garden and it's going nowhere).
I wouldn't look into all your plants too closely, you might find there's nothing 'safe' there.
In the sticks near Peterborough
It's the berries that cause concern. We have others (such as box) that have various levels of toxicity which do not cause us concern. Berries however can be attractive to dogs and it would be nigh on impossible to remove all of them, the berries on research cause at the very least stomach upset/problems. We nearly lost the dog last week due to acute pancreatitis so anything that could give him further stomach problems we need to avoid.
it is a pity as its a nice shrub, but so are many others that don't produce berries that can easily replace it that won't cause concern.
Enjoy yours.
Cheers.
David if you check back on the companions thread you will see what my old girl can do to an unattended tin of dog food. You will never stop him eating c**p. I almost lost her a few months ago because some artist had origamied a muffin paper into a sold triangle of greaseproof paper and tossed it over the wall into my mum's garden. She was almost a gonner until the vet went in after it.
You simply need to exercise caution and do your best but as has been said before pretty much everything in the garden is toxic to some degree. Don't give yourself a hard time looking for problems.
And then there was the time she broke into the bedroom and ate three chocolate oranges, two layers of M&S luxury chocolates from two differnt boxes and an undisclosed number of quality street...not to mention the wrapping paper!!!!
What's that??? Chocolate is poisonous to dogs????
Hi there,
we aren't looking for problems thank goodness, it's just a quiet bit of mitigation.
Having removed said plant it opens up that part of the garden, immediately outside the patio doors, and gives us chance to change the planting. We inherited the garden when we moved in two years ago. We would never have planted that sort of shrub where it was.
With hindsight finding out about the berries might have given us an 'excuse' to remove it and start the planting from fresh, the way we want it.
I know what you mean about chocolates! Not many non dog owners know that, I mean they sell chocolate flavoured dog treats for heavens sake!
Cheers,
Put something nice and smelly outside your patio doors David. Maybe a philadelphus or a choysia. I have lillies in pots left by the previous owner and it's amazing how much of the scent comes in.
Now if I could encourage Bran to eat the roses he left I'd have a good excuse to dig those up. I'm not the world's biggest rose fan and they have me in tatters!