Holly Tree

One of my very  first blog posts at the beginning of 2014 explained that we had a huge holly tree which was in touching distance to the rear of the house.  One of the first undertakings we prioritised was the careful taking down and removal of this mature specimen (entirely by hand over a couple of miserable weekends without the aid of any electrical appliances or gardening experience).

Well I must be mad as I have just had this variegated beauty delivered from Pippin Plants (great service and prompt delivery).  The plant is currently 50/30 cm high/wide and my vision for the planting area is that it will become a feature plant in the wide border and a backdrop to the perennials around it on both sides during the spring/summer months.

At the moment it is going to be dwarfed in the large triangular curved bed.  The planting area is a metre wide at its narrowest point and over 3 at its widest.  When my Mum used to buy me huge clothes saying: "don't worry you'll grow into it" I have a similar sentiment for this little guy (and it is a boy as it doesn't produce berries).  


Ilex aquifolium 'Myrtifolia Aurea Maculata'
In my defence I researched it using the RHS Plant Finder on my basic requirements of soil type, sun direction, foliage and garden planting style.  It is a slow-grower that will brighten up the dark spot beneath the large Willow tree with its bright evergreen foliage and will make a dull corner shine during the winter months.  I would also hope that the tree will grow into something more shrub-like or that it can be pruned into a more shrub-like shape, perhaps a circular mound or teardrop. 

The method in my madness is that this will eventually put off the pigeons from desecrating all sign of plant-life in that area (beneath a hanging bird-feeder) with their furious morning pecking routine.  Our poor foxgloves have taken a battering and I won't be replacing them this year in that position, time to think differently with the spiky and robust foliage of this plant (fingers crossed).

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