While doing a little shopping recently, I found myself completely mesmerized by the winter landscape of the shopping complex. Not only was it modern with the latest stores and architecture, but it also had a nice complement of artistic statuary and water features.
The real show, however, came from the planning that went into the incredible landscape — thanks to the use of hollies.
There were several species from shrubs to trees; my favorites had a natural conical, or Christmas-tree, shape. Used in combination with fine-textured junipers and gray-leafed Russian olive trees, they gave the landscape the evergreen structure to look good year-round.
Many hollies have a thick, waxy cuticle enabling them to be among the most durable plants for landscape, able to withstand frigid cold as well as sultry heat. In addition to glossy, green leaves on many species, they also have the ability to adorn landscapes with an abundance of bright red berries. Because hollies are dioecious, with male and female varieties, this requires homeowners to select female varieties if they want berries.
A bounty of berries also serves as a valuable feeding source for birds. For instance, the American holly (Ilex opaca) that stands so tall and statuesque in the winter landscape with its deep green leaves — looking like it has been carefully decorated with just the right amount of berries — can feed 18 species of birds. “Jersey Princess” and “Jersey Delight” are two of the more superior selections.
But you aren’t just relegated to the American holly for the landscape. In Zone 6 and warmer areas, try the famous “Nellie R. Stevens,” an English and Chinese holly hybrid, or “Mary Nell,” also a hybrid. Both produce fruit that birds find delectable. No matter where you live in the country there are scores of hollies recommended for your landscape or backyard wildlife habitat. Talk to your certified nurseryman or garden center about the best selections for your area.
Plant hollies in a well-prepared fertile bed, not mixed with turf but incorporated with other shrubs. Try grouping them in odd-numbered clusters of three or five surrounded with flowering shrubs suited to your region. Use ground-cover junipers to offer a contrasting fine-leaf texture. Repeat these plantings in the landscape for continuity. Incorporating a few redbuds and dogwoods in between the groups will give you a stunning landscape.
Though these are tough, persevering shrubs, they do need water to get established. During the first year, train them to go deep with their root expansion by watering deeply but infrequently.
Feed hollies a light application of a slow-released balanced fertilizer about a month after transplanting. Feed established plantings in April and August. The last application is even more important for hollies with large berry crops.
Norman Winter is author of “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden” (University Press of Mississippi, $28).
A colorful past
The holly plant has a long and colorful history. Read about it online at
gardenguides.com
(type “holly history” in the search field).
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