One of the men have been talking about this plant recently but i can't remember who now :-/

We have it and it survived last years rather harsh weather despite being newly planted. It is in a S.W. facing border protected from the East by other plants, but generally in an open position. Our garden is very windy and it seems to be ok.

I think the best person to give you this advise is Gee as she has them . http://www.growsonyou.com/plant/slideshow/Nandina_domestica/98528

I've got on in a client's garden, but to be honest, it was put in a spot not very useful for it - it has, surprisingly, survived, and I recently moved it to a more open position, so will be interested to see how it does. I moved it 6 weeks ago and already its showing new growth. At first, it was planted in a very sheltered spot behind everything else and against a wall - drought ridden a lot of the time, lord knows how it survived, but it did. Now it's planted with a wall behind, in a part sunny part shady spot which is more open. Planting recommendation in my book says "plant in early spring in fertile, well drained, fairly moist soil in a sunny position". (I always wonder how you can have well drained but moist soil...)

Bamboo, i agree with your last point !

I looked at these today in a garden centre and they're lovely plants.
A lot of plant for the money :-)

I was going to buy Nandina domestica today but the specimens were in atrocious condition, this is a taller variety than your 'Firepower' which is a small shrub.

The one I bought was Firepower, and it was at this time of year and it was looking very sad and sorry for itself - BUT that meant I got it for £2.50 instead of £8.99, so I'm not complaining!

Hah, that was clever !
I very nearly did the same with those this morning but didn't.
Maybe i'll go back and make them an offer though ;-)

What put me off so much was that most of the branches were bare, naked, not a scrap on !!!
This was the taller 'domestica' though.

In your opinion do you think those branches would recover and rally back quite quickly or do you think i'd have to prune them off ?
It looked as if the growers had had them crowded or it'd been against something because there was a definate 'back' to the plant and it was just so naked i wondered again if it'd been crowded or windwhipped.

I reckon if you can get a really good reduction, it's worth a try - its always a gamble, but for 2.50, I was prepared to risk it, and it did survive. Not sure I'd have wanted to pay a fiver or more though

Mine is a largish shrub - I think I should get it in the ground ASAP.

It can be SW facing, Owdboggy, thanks for the advice! That's made a decision for me. :-))

Not telling you all how much this one was - but it's a great shape and size! :-)) No naked branches on it!!!

A lot, I bet - they're not cheap shrubs

The ones i saw today were in pots that were 12" in diameter !!!

Bet I know where that was....;-)

:-)))

Love this shrub probably my favourite as spring ..new red leaf growth followed by white flowers followed by red berries then autumn tints to leaves and its evergreen.

Really hard to think of another that seems to do so much throughout the seasons.

Will grow 6 - 8ft and if brave enough can be very hard pruned if getting leggy ..to encourage new growth.

Best examples I ve seen been growing well along side hardy fuchsias sheltered spot lots of light but not full sun ..as if ... all day.

Never had much luck with Firepower ..a very different Nandina with rounded leaves just seemed to remain a dwarf shrub no flowers or berries .

I sent you a PM, Bb? Two, in fact. Thanks for this advice. :-))

Firepower is indeed one that only reaches about 3' high, thy'll get quite wide though.

Bb, your 'domestica', the tall one ..... are yours evergreen there ? I read different reviews about it and can't determine it one way or the other.

Thanks Spritz.
Louise...yes evergreen here in Yorkshire !

Did you see my chat with Bamboo earlier ?
Re that very ill looking domestica ?
You just mentioned hard pruning one, so ...... if i could get an ill one cheaply, would it come back to life if i hard pruned or would it keel over ..... given that it's nearly naked and clearly very unhappy ?

I'd hard prune it, Louise - but not till spring

It gets its common name Heavenly bamboo from its habit of eventually producing woody canes and flowers and leaves end up at tip of these.Loosing them from base.

Sounds like lack of light and wind damage doing for it ..after about 4 -5 years it is recommended that old stems cut almost to ground level to encourage back into shrub shape ..so in answer to your question yes a hard prune worth a try Louise as quite expensive to buy and if you can knock the price down so much the better.

I'll say it was expensive, Bb! That's why I went for the middle sized one, rather than the 'specimen' size!

And I went for one smaller still ... I did some work for Janes school and the council offered to donate some plants .Come and take your pick they said and outside the main entrance were 2 , 6 ft Nandinas oh I ll take those thank you .. the guy paled visibly dont you want to look inside ?

Oh no sure you re busy .. he did come and check I planted them at the school though .

LOL!! Well done, Bb! Great story! :-))))