English Holly
(Ilex aquifolium)

Ilex aquifolium can look brilliant all year round with its welcomed shades of colour, its winter coverage during the much colder months, and even some small white flowers that appear in the Spring. Due to its evergreen attribute, native birds also see it as a shelter during the winter- and the red berries are perfect for them to feed on- meaning you can even encourage some wildlife interest to your garden with the English Holly.

The dense and prickly leaves are ideal where a privacy screen or security barrier is needed, too, as well as being effectively pollution-resistant and a great windbreaker.

English Holly is a much slower-growing hedge, with a growth rate around 10-15cm per year. It is best if you plant your Holly in full or partial shade and in moist soil. It is also suitable for both exposed and seaside sites/gardens.

• Growth height: Slow (10-20cm per year)
• Ideal height: 2.5m+ Tall
• Soil Type: Normal
• Exposure: Coastal, Exposed, Inland
• Aspect: Full shade, Sun
• Evergreen foliage? Yes

Your Ilex aquifolium is likely to need very little pruning (or none)- except from needing to remove any dead, damaged or diseased shoots (or any cross shoots causing possible congestion). The best time to do your pruning is during the late winter or early spring, when the plant is dormant.

Though you only need a little bit of annual pruning, your English Holly can tolerate extreme pruning if it does get too large or overgrown- but make sure to do so during the dormant period (winter months).

When should I plant English Holly hedging?

The best time to plant your English Holly is from the middle of autumn through to late winter (as long as the ground is not frozen).

How far apart do you plant English Holly plants?

If you are wanting to create a nice, dense-looking hedge with your Holly, we recommend planting at least 60cm apart. This does, of course, depend on the size of the plant purchased - if around 40/60cm tall plants are being planted, you will need to plant at least 3 per metre, at around 30cm apart.

How to plant your English Holly:

Amend the soil around the planting area with rich compost, first. Then dig the amendments about 8 inches deep, as this will improve drainage and add nutrients to the soil (which help boost the Holly's establishment).̴Ì?

Dig the hole as deep as the plant's root mass - if planting a long hedge, however, it is best to dig a trench.

If your Holly plants were bought in containers, be sure to break up the root balls slightly with something like a garden cultivator. If you have root balls covered in burlap, however, the roots should be scored already.

Place the Holly into the hole(s)/trench, and backfill with the excess soil. Press down gently but firmly to ensure the hedging is secure, but still airy enough.

Water for 20 minutes, three times a week, for about a year after planting. We also recommend applying a 2-4" layer of mulch around the base of the hedging, to ensure as much moisture and warmth is maintained in the soil.

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