Watch out for pretty Bully

Weeds fall into the category of these invaders, and most, once spotted, get the boot.

Others, however, are slightly more cunning than your average dandelion or nettle. They sneak in, put down roots and then try to appear cultivated and well-mannered. And, like the trusting souls we are, we take them at their face value and allow them to stay.

Symphoricarpos is the perfect example. It has an impressive-sounding Latin name, but for all most of us know, it could mean the plant with spots and hairs.

Actually, it's more commonly known as the snowberry. Even that sounds quite attractive, and for all intents and purposes, this is an attractive shrub.

For most of the year, it's just another bush, but from late October onwards, it suddenly bursts into life, producing masses of pearly-white berries which hang like Christmas baubles along its leafless stems.

And that's how it fools us. It looks nice, it looks like a plant God intended for the garden. It's not. It's a thug which likes nothing better than taking over the space of other plants. And you can see it doing it. Look at hedges and unkempt ground you'll see plenty of its tell-tale berries all over because this is a shrub which, given its head, will gladly colonise whole gardens. It can stand shade, poor soil, full sun; it has all the tenacity needed to be a first-class despot. But it can be tamed. Grow the likes of S orbiculatus or 'Mother of Pearl' and enjoy their fruits – they make superb indoor decorations.

But don't let the plants throw up suckers, and keep them trimmed back before they get the chance to become leggy and lust after their neighbours' land.

Every spring, remove any unwanted growth, and if you grow it as a hedge (it's a bit straggly but looks wonderful when it's a mass of berries) trim it once in summer. It is very popular with birds and insects.

And if you get to like it, you can even propagate it. Just uproot a few suckers or take cuttings in autumn. You should have no problem persuading them to grow.

Persuading them not to grow is another matter.