WEED SHRUBS WITH BERRY SEEDS

During these autumn and winter months many of the introduced shrubs growing wild along the banks of the Severn River provide berries now for Australian birds who have multiplied largely due to the weedy nature of these shrubs. Birds like the Satin Bower birds now have a winter source of food.

May view of the Severn River

It is only possible for me to access the river bank at this one place where we cleared the rubbish many years ago to allow family, guests and friends to go fishing. Now farmers are prevented from clearing trees on their river frontages by the Queensland Native Vegetation Act. What this means is that plants like blackberries, Willow trees, honeysuckle, brier roses and and Privets now flourish in these regions providing cover for wild pigs, foxes and rabbits. No one manages these areas to prevent their degradation.

Amongst the worst of these garden shrubs are the two Privets - the broad leafed and small leafed Privet.

Green berries on the large leaf privet

I frequently have to weed out both varieties of Privet from my garden where the Satin Bower birds have deposited the seed.

Fine leaf privet bush

This is an example of a small leafed Privet happily growing into a bushy shrub on the boundary fence our neighbour on the northern side of our river frontage. In the summer it is a mass of small white flowers giving off a heady fragrance. This plant was commonly used in home gardens of towns like Stanthorpe and often trimmed into neat hedges.

Privet and honeysuckle

No fires have burned through the neighbouring farmland on our southern boundary in recent years, thus all the hardy weeds have flourished in this region. Because they form part of the thick undergrowth beneath the eucalyptus trees they struggle upward for light and become straggly in shape.

Tall broad leafed privet

The Privet carries huge volumes of berries, which after they ripen to a deep purple are enjoyed by the birds. Towns like Stanthorpe are now offering two native trees for every Privet removed from home gardens

Berries of the small leafed privet

Bunches of berries on a large leafed privet

Such thick undergrowth along the river banks provides not only shelter for native animals for ferals animals. The morning that I took these photographs I saw evidence of where wild pigs had been rooting up the ground on our farm.

Wildflowers, wilderness and wine

To read more about our way of life check out my book Wildflowers, wilderness and wine which you may read about on http://www.australia-book.com.au

If you enjoy my photography and casual way of writing you will also enjoy the photographs I include on http://fayhelwigauthor.com where I am posting weekly a book I have written about a holiday I spent in Germany with Eberhard. As we strolled the countryside he shared with me his youthful experiences.