[Eblana]

Hi all, Archie my boxer pup has struck again!  I had a fig tree in a large pot which was sitting in front of a south facing red brick wall.  The other day Archie decided that it looked tasty and literally ate it down to a three inch stump.  Although it was about 5 years old it had never produced any figs and never really put any growth on either.  I will leave replacing it until Archie has stopped chewing but was wondering if anyone had suggestions on something else I could try instead either ornamental or productive.

[Norfolkgrey]

Would prickly plants deter Archie i.e gooseberries, japonica, rasperries etc. ? I would wait until you have found a way to save plants from Archie, even if you have some sort of guard around them so he can't get close enough to completely destroy  Good luck 

[Eblana]

I will probably leave replacing it until next year.  He is being neutered tomorrow  and we are creating a dog run for him for when I have to leave him unattended hopefully he will settle a bit shortly.  The fig was a focal point in the garden so I would like to replace it with something that would be attractive to look at.

[mumofstig]

Quince trees are beautiful in bloom, and nice added to apple in pies/puddings. There is a very dwarf variety for pots.

[snowdrops]

Quince trees are beautiful in bloom, and nice added to apple in pies/puddings. There is a very dwarf variety for pots.

Ooh didn't know you can get a dwarf one, might look into that.

What about an Acer,very decorative, or I like Crinoodendron hookeri an evergreen shrub with lovely lantern flowers

[Eblana]

I have a small Acer in another pot but the colour doesn't work with the red brick.  I will look into the dwarf quince and the Crinoodendron.  My husband has suggested an Olive what do you think?

[snowdrops]

Acres aren't all red, there are lovely green ones too, olives are nice but seem to be very slow & a rat hey untidy habit I've found

[Eblana]

I will have a look at the green acres as well.  Not wild about the Olive idea myself

[catllar]

I'd just like to speak up in favour of the olive tree - tough as old boots, won't outgrow the pot, evergreen , scented flowers, with luck an olive or two, and they take pruning into shape extremely well. They are not that slow growing , my last one in the ground 5 years ago has grown about 90 sms in that time.  I'll get my coat now!