Ilex × altaclerensis 'Golden King'
holly (female)
The glossy leaves of this holly have grey-green mottled centres and bright, golden-yellow margins. Despite its name, this...
GOES WELL WITH
August pruning of trees, shrubs and climbers
Late summer is the best time to prune many midsummer-flowering shrubs to keep them vigorous and flowering well. It is also the ideal time to prune several trees that are prone to bleeding if pruned at other times, and it’s not too late to complete the pru
Read full articleJapanese
Make the most of over 3000 years of gardening tradition by creating an oriental-style garden. Originally designed as a place for intellectual contemplation and meditation, they are an ideal sanctuary from the pressures of modern living. Japanese gardens a
Read full articlePlanting a hedge
Hedges by their very nature are often planted in exposed positions, so the secret of successful establishment is to make sure that they are well protected from prevailing winds for the first few years. Carefully planting and covering the surface of the so
Read full articleHolly - a must for winter berries
The holly is an iconic plant that likes to share the forest floor with the mighty oak, so this slow-grower prefers good drainage. Our prickly native form, Ilex aquifolium, takes its species name from Aquila the eagle indicating the talon-like sharpness of
Read full articleThe King of evergreens
The holly reigns supreme in winter, but there are decisions to be made. If you want berries you can’t close clip and topiarise because you’ll cut away the flowers. You have to allow your to flourish on its own, with just a yearly spring trim, in order to
Read full articlePlants birds love in the winter garden
As frost descends and the leaves gather on the lawn, the most important colour is red because it glows against the backdrop of fading stems in muddy shades of khaki, grey and brown. Red’s the colour that fixes the rest of the palette and luckily red berri
Read full articleLow maintenance plants for a shady garden
We all want a lovely garden but sometimes we are too busy with work and family, or we simply don’t have the inclination to garden incessantly, so the trick is to choose low maintenance plants such as easy shrubs and then to underplant them with ground cov
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