Berberis make excellent specimen shrubs. Berberis 'Orange Sunrise' is a very special variety with gold edged leaves in a vibrant orange. Their fiery autumn colour is beautifully offset by darker containers or planted alongside winter evergreens that provide a backdrop for the dense, thorny stems. If you’re planning a security hedge, berberis makes an excellent low-growing, spiky addition to block off the gaps under taller shrubs like hawthorn and blackthorn.