Looking at Stardust

There are a few plants that on occasions fail to impress at the outset, in fact my original view of this particular plant, Berberis thunbergii 'Stardust' is, even for me, quite unrepeatable. However, a year's growth and a little maturity will often alter the juvenile or bland character of a plant into something far more interesting, and so it was with 'Stardust'. This year the plant developed a much pinker mottling as the blend of pink, cream, and green seemed to settle down into a more stable colouration. I can now see why the plant has been awarded an AGM by the RHS, and it reiterates to me the need to be less immediate and judgmental in my opinions. While 'Stardust' will never float my boat, I can see that to a great many gardeners it will be stunner. The shrub will reach a height and spread of about 1.2 metres, grows in most soils, and is a typically prickly also.