Japanese barberry, also known as Berberis thunbergii, is a deciduous shrub that can be found in the Fairsted landscape. It is located at the western edge of the property, however, there are a few plants located in a couple of different areas on this western edge. Frederick Law Olmsted was not a fan of exotic-looking plants and often preferred native plants. However, Japanese barberry is an invasive species. Frederick Law Olmsted would often use invasive species that looked native. The primary spots where the Japanese barberry are located are in the bed that borders the circle drive on the south side and on the left side of the archway when entering Fairsted from the front. In addition, there is another plant tucked away behind the cucumber magnolia in the Rock Garden. All these plants act as one of the lower layers that are supposed to exist closer to the ground in the layered effect that Olmsted worked to create on Fairsted. The Japanese barberry that are on Fairsted are all about four to five feet tall and have a slightly larger diameter of about six to seven feet. These plants are located near the front of the bed surrounded by different types of ground cover and mixed in with other shrubs or trees nearby. These plants help provide diversity to the landscape. They have smaller more closely clustered leaves than the plants located around them. They have a small red or orange fruit that adds another texture to the landscape, although these fruits are not very prevalent. |
Last updated: February 23, 2024