Holly Trees

Welcome to Welsh-Holly - one of the few specialist holly nurseries in the UK. We are really pleased that you, too, are a keen enthusiast!!

We stock all sorts of holly - ornamentals, both silver and gold variegated; hollies with red berries, hollies with orange berries; hollies with unusual leaves; hollies with interesting names; rare and unusual hollies; hollies for your neighbours to see and envy, and hollies to provide privacy. Even hollies without prickles on the leaves.

We are always developing our stock of hollies so, if the one which you are looking for is not listed, please contact us anyway, because it may be available shortly.

Holly Descriptions

These are inclined to vary, depending on the writer's observations. For example, when we recently reviewed articles on Ilex “Belgica Aurea”, it was described as both “sparsely berrying with red fruits” and as “abundant large orange-red fruit”. We have taken a consensus view.

The reasons for the variations probably depend on the site where the tree is growing. The amount of fruit a tree will bear depends on a variety of factors - soil, the season’s climate, drought stress (which seems to encourage berrying) and luck. All these factors combine such that one person’s experience is often very different to anothers.

How to choose a holly

Decide what you like best - is it the berries - red (Van Tol), orange (Amber) or yellow (Bacciflava) ? Remember if you want berries, unless it is self-fertile (Pyramidalis) you will need a male tree within the area.

Perhaps you looking for an interesting leaf colour - if you like variegated, consider the colour - white through to cream . Decide on whether you prefer a coloured leaf margin (Silver Van Tol) or a coloured centre (Lawsoniana). A dark green leaf , or perhaps a blue leaf (Blue Angel).

Or look at leaf shape - small pointed leaves (Myrtifolia) or Silver Hedgehog, with it’s prickly spines.

And don’t forget the twig colour - a female Argentea Marginata has green twigs, while "Handsworth New Silver” has purple twigs.

Is the tree shape your main interest? - consider “Green Pillar” which grows as a column, or “Alaska” for it‘s standard shape. What would a “Perrys Weeping Silver” look like in your garden?

Be very careful about the names - Golden King is female and will have berries, while Silver Queen is male!!! Golden Milkboy is...... a male, while Silver Milkmaid is.....a female!

Decide if you want one of the more popular ones (Madame Briot) or, to be different, one of the less common, but perhaps more interesting, ones such as Elegantissima .

Maybe there are special considerations to think of - imagine the leaf colour of Flavescens as the glow of a setting summer sun lights it up!!

Where holly likes to grow

Hollies will grow in virtually any soil, as long as they don’t have wet feet. Hollies will grow in the shade, but like you and me, they prefer some sun. And, because of their waxy leaves, they are very wind resistant, and ideal for exposed positions.

Planting your holly

Think carefully before you plant it so that you don’t have to move it again - hollies, once established, prefer not to be disturbed too much.

Decide now whether you will keep it trimmed or whether you will let it grow to it’s natural height and shape. Try to visualize the final height.

When planting, dig a straight-sided hole twice the size of the pot and 200mm deeper. Mix the topsoil with well-rotted manure or leaf mould, put some in the hole. Place the tree in the hole, backfilling and gently compacting as you go. Once in a while, step back and view progress from a distance - it’s still not too late to change your mind and plant it elsewhere.

For quick growth in pots, up to 2-3’per year, feed your holly any time up until the end of July.

Looking after your holly

After planting, keep the young stem and surround weed free - organic mulches are ideal for this, and they will also feed the holly. Rodents rarely cause damage but do look out for the bark being nibbled away.

Once established prune in the winter or early spring - your prunings will make ideal Christmas decorations!!

Holly folklore

There is lots and lots of holly folklore, so come back once in a while to learn some more.

Have you ever tried to use holly for fortune telling? Traditionally, little candles used to be fixed to holly leaves & put in a pan of water, If the leaves floated, it was likely that a particular plan or project would do well. If they sank, it was as well to give up on the idea!

Still on the fortune-telling theme, if you collect 9 smooth-leaved holly leaves, place them into a 3-cornered handkerchief & tie this with 9 knots before putting under your pillow, you might get pleasant dreams of the future when you go to sleep at night. However, you must pick the leaves late on a Friday & keep completely silent until the following morning - otherwise, it might not work!!

Prices

See “How to Order” for full details.

If you want information, or advice, before ordering then ring us or e-mail - we will be pleased to help.

Photos

If you are uncertain about leaf colour or leaf shape, please email us for a photo!

What our customers say

"Thank you so much for the hollies ... I am so pleased - they are lovely and in gorgeous condition.  They're all wonderful but my favourite is the Dragon Lady.  I fell in love at first sight.  I'd planned it for a centrepiece display and it will be perfect. Thank you again for all your help and advice.  If I need any more hollies I'll definitely be in touch." Lynne T

" Hi Philip, Just to let you know the hollies have just arrived, they are gorgeous, just what I was looking for, Thankyou so much, Debbie"

"Just received the plants and they look wonderful. Thank you very much" C.C Lancashire

"Just a quick note to say thanks, the holly arrived, was planted and looks great" H. J. Swansea

"The Holly arrived yesterday. I was very impressed with the quality and would recommend your nurseries to anyone" D & P, Bolton.

"Absolutely fantastic plants, very pleased look forward to using you again in the future. Thanks very much" Matt D.

SPECIAL OFFERS

Holly standards - choose from Silver Van Tol, Golden Van Tol, Pyramidalis, Argentea Marginata, Blue Prince, Blue Princess & others. £62.50 each, delivered to your door. (If you'd like more than one, please contact us for special price). Also unusual Perry's Weeping standards - £75 each, free delivery. Smaller standards also available. Contact us for details.

LATEST NEWS

Look for our contribution to the new RHS publication "Britain's Favourite Plants", in which we describe some of our favourite hollies.