Position: sun or dappled shadeSoil: fertile, well-drained soil. Can tolerate some lime in the soil.Rate of growth: averageFlowering period: JulyHardiness: fully hardyThis lovely deciduous shrub has clusters of small pink flowers in midsummer, but it's really prized for the clusters of striking, violet, bead-like berries that appear in autumn and remain after the plant has lost its leaves. The young foliage is often bronze-purple, becoming dark green in summer before turning golden-purple in autumn. Use it to brighten up a border in autumn, or cut the bare branches laden with berries for flower arrangements.Garden care: Incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter intothe planting hole. Prune back stems in early spring, if necessary, cutting back to a permanent framework.

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