Holly bush for small-ish garden

BobbyMalone · 29-10-2022 9:58am #1

I'm finding it difficult to source a reasonably mature holly bush for a small-ish garden (ideally to be used as cover from overlooking windows). I see lots of different variations, but really want the normal holly bushes you see growing everywhere. I sometimes see small examples, but finding it difficult to find one maybe a metre or so tall.

Would also be interested in a hawthorn tree/bush, but again can not find these in any of the garden centres.

Any ideas as to where to go to find reasonably mature native Irish plants?

Furze99 · 29-10-2022 10:06am

Visit any sort of mixed woodland and you'll find them growing in the understorey shrub layer. Native species so where they grow, numerous saplings to be found. Taking the odd one of dozens will do harm at all.

Slow growing though, that's why the actions of some people who collect holly commercially are very harmful. Rather than going to trouble to snip the branches they want, the hoors just use a chainsaw and cut down the whole tree. Bad cess to them!

BobbyMalone · 29-10-2022 10:21am

Yeah, I had heard about them being slow growing - this is why ideally I would like to get a mature one, and happy to pay the price for that.

Never thought of just snagging a sapling or a branch.

macraignil · 29-10-2022 10:50am

This nursery close to where I live has a Holly tree in their tree price list at 1.75-2metres for 40euro and hawthorn in their hedging list are available for 13.50euro for 10. They also have holly in their hedging list at 0.6 to 0.8metres at 45euros for 10. I would be reluctant to dig up a mature tree from the wild for moving to your garden as if it has been growing in the one spot for a while the roots will be spread out in the ground and the root damage in moving it will set it back for a number of years. Nursery grown trees are usually moved as they grow or have the roots pruned so they do not suffer too much root damage when they are to be transplanted. Not sure where in the country you are but an internet search for plant nurseries in your area is very like to find one that has good sized native holly trees for sale.

Happy gardening!

looksee · 29-10-2022 12:26pm

Agree about not taking one from woodland, not only would the roots be well spread, all the surrounding roots will create a no-dig zone.

OP, you are aware that you will not necessarily get berries unless you make sure to purchase one that is self-fertile or be prepared to buy a male and a female (unless there are male hollies nearby). Also be aware that the variegated forms Silver Queen and Golden King are named the wrong way round, the King is female and Queen is male. (No idea why!)

BobbyMalone · 29-10-2022 3:02pm

@macraignil That's a great find, and exactly what I am looking for! A bit far, but might be worth a trip or at least to know I'm not going mad and that there are places that do sell these types of bushes.

@looksee I have read about the self-fertile/male/female. Getting a male and female would be no bother, as I could put one in the front (assuming they don't have to be right up against each other. Noted and thanks re the confusing king/queen names!

bobbyss · 01-11-2022 5:05pm

Amateur gardener here.

I have two hollies. I think there are two types one is very sharp and prickly the other softer which I think is a faster grower? We have the sharp one which is now full of berries and it looks very nice. I chopped off a few of the low branches last year that were at low head height so that I can walk around it without getting scratched. After the chopping I thought I was going to lose it because it went very, very thin almost everywhere but thankfully it recovered, I am afraid to go near it now again. It seems very sensitive to interference like that which I was not aware of.

It is slow growing but dense. It gives privacy to overlooking window. I watered it a lot over the dry summer to encourage it. They seem to be resistant to extreme frost too.

looksee · 01-11-2022 7:50pm

I doubt it was your chopping that affected it. I had a large holly that was growing in a christmas tree shape so I carved off a lot of huge, low branches (the tree was about 15ft high) and turned it into a tree rather than a large bush. It looked much better and didn't mind at all.

standardg60 · 02-11-2022 6:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820248#Comment_119820248

In the wild you'll find that holly branches will be more spiny when young/lower down and less so when higher, upper branches can be pretty much spineless. It's a natural defence against being eaten. Over the years many cultivars have been developed of varying degrees of spinyness, from none to the 'ferox' varieties, which have spines on the surface of the leaves as well as the edges.

Generally the spinier the holly the slower growing it is, as it puts more energy into forming them. For some reason i've found that smaller branches can die off completely if pruned back beyond the leaves, so best to leave a few when trimming.

bobbyss · 02-11-2022 9:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119825540#Comment_119825540

I won't be going near it again. I need it for privacy and I thought I had lost it. Lesson learned.

03-11-2022 12:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058269561/holly-bush-for-small-ish-garden

Buy one that's not too tall. Smaller is usually better for establishment. Golden king gets big, will revert but berries and by judicious pruning can be kept small. Ilex aquifolium "Alaska" is a more compact but berrying holly. Ilex x merserveae "Blue Angel" is a small female with a bluish look to the leaves.

As for pulling from the forest, leave well alone. IN any event, holly requires that a sizeable rootball be taken with it, as bareroots are effectively doomed to fail.

Enjoy.

Holly bush for small-ish garden

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