Deck the garden with holly this Christmas
18:12:20 22nd December 2009
A garden is not complete without a holly tree this Christmas – and now is the perfect time for planting.
Whilst providing festive decoration, an article in the Daily Mail states that hollies respond well to pruning and any shoots that are removed will be quickly replaced.
When left to grow naturally, The Mail reports, hollies develop into "broadly columnar shapes, looking increasingly handsome as they mature".
"But like box or yew, the festive evergreen will also snip to any shape. Groomed as stately columns, balls or obelisks, hollies bring formal grandeur," it states.
People were advised to take care when buying a holly tree, as only females carried berries but male varieties were needed within bee range for pollination.
Holly sprigs bearing berries are in short supply this season, with the Telegraph reporting that bunches were selling for up to £2 a lot and variegated varieties for £3.
Birds were the main culprits, claim farmers, as they eat many of the berries.
Written by Robin Antill+
Started making garden sheds in 1979. so 31 years experience. Online since 1996. 1st in UK.
