Holly (Ilex) is a sturdy evergreen shrub with spiny foliage. It is an eye-catching plant which works as a distinctive hedge, or even as an individual specimen tree or topiary. There are several varieties either with plain or variegated leaves, which can be complemented by white flowers followed by traditional red berries provided there is a mixture of male and female plants. There are approximately 400-600 species of Holly available, but we specialise in the main varieties which are Blue Holly hedging, Silver Holly hedging, Green Holly hedging, and Golden Holly Variegated hedging.
Depending on the holly hedging variety, each hedge offers varying levels of density and thickness. Generally, holly hedging is thick, providing coverage all year round. Evergreen holly varieties such as traditional Green holly produce stunning white flowers during the summer that attract several pollinators such as bees and butterflies, whilst in winter bright red berries appear that adds a touch of colour to dull, winter gardens. These berries are adored by people and wildlife alike, as they’re also extremely popular with birds and smaller rodents during the colder months.
As a plant commonly associated with winter, the leaves and berries can serve numerous uses during the colder months. For example, gardeners often use them as part of homemade Christmas decorations during the festive season. This does not mean that they are only good for the winter, however; the white flowers which bloom in the spring and summer mean that holly hedging plants look good all year round. It’s sharp, spiky leaves are great as a security and intruder hedge.
How to Plant Holly Hedging
Holly hedges are an easy plant to take care of and can be planted in moist well-drained soil, regardless of whether its Ph is alkaline or acidic. It requires very little maintenance, just a trim during the summer, and healthy plants can be expected to grow approximately 15-30cms per year. Holly hedging’s slow growth means that little maintenance is required, meaning planters can benefit from pleasant-looking hedges all year round with minimal effort.
With its distinctive leaves and berries, Holly hedging makes for a welcome sight in most gardens and one which is wildlife-friendly and colourful. As a hedge plant, Holly is attractive but has spiky leaves, making it ideal as a secure border to gardens. However, it’s important to note when growing holly hedge plants that rabbits like to eat and damage the trunks, but this problem can be easily solved by the purchase of rabbit guards if you’re located in an area with a high rabbit population.
Planting conditions amongst species vary, but Holly hedges require any moist, normal soil regardless of location so can be suitable for coastal areas. In terms of sunlight, full sun, partial or full shade is suitable, so holly hedges are extremely flexible in where they can be planted. Hopes Grove Nurseries offer potted hedging for holly varieties.
Why Choose Hopes Grove Nurseries?
Hopes Grove is a family-owned nursery, with 30 years of experience in growing a range of beautiful plants for delivery in the UK. We offer a range of holly plants so that no matter the size or demand of your project, you can achieve it with our help. Check out our range of Holly plants below or contact a member of our staff for more details. Our talented team have years of first-hand experience in growing and cultivating our plants, giving them expert knowledge on the ideal planting conditions, as well as any other tips and advice you require. Don’t hesitate to give us a call or explore our knowledge base to read our exclusive plant guides.
Based in The Garden of England, Kent, our nursery is home to half a million plant species, spread across our 80-acre site. From hornbeam hedging, Thuja hedging, Berberis hedge plants and Choisya hedge plants, each and every hedge plant is lovingly grown by our passionate team to create the highest quality plants available in the UK. This gives each plant the maximum chances of success in your garden, so you too can enjoy the benefits. If you want to know more about our hedge plants, read our Feefo reviews for more information.
If you’d like to learn more about our Holly hedge plants, you can get in touch to speak to a member of our knowledgeable sales team, or alternatively buy online today to receive your plants anywhere in the UK.
Delivery leadtimes update – May 2025
Spring is our busiest time of year and we are working through orders as fast as we can to get your plants delivered. To give you an accurate idea of when your order will arrive, these are the current leadtimes (delivery is 1-2 days after despatch):
– Orders containing only bare roots and root balls – despatch within 3 working days.
– All orders containing potted plants – despatch within 14 working days.
Delivery is free for most orders above our free delivery thresholds, these are displayed above our prices in the product listings and summarized below. If you don’t need that many plants it’s not a problem, you can choose to pay our delivery charge and only order what you need.
Delivery is convenient – no signature is required so you don’t need to wait in, we will leave your parcel in the safe place that you nominate.
Delivery is fast – because we pick orders daily from our own growing beds your plants only travel the small hop to our packing shed before being sent to you, they are usually delivered within 5-7 working days.
Delivery is reliable – we have been selling and delivering Hedging Plants to our customers nationwide since 1992. We have a lot of experience in packing them safely and only use tried and tested delivery partners.
Smaller Plants (Parcel Delivery)
| Location | Order Value | Price |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Up to £90 | £15.00 |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Over £90 | Free |
| Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight | All orders | £24.00 |
Heavy Plants (Pallet Delivery)
| Location | Order Value | Price |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Up to £420 | £72.00 |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Over £420 | Free |
| Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight | All orders | £72.00 |
Tall Plants 2.5m+ (Specialist Delivery)
| Location | Order Value | Price |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Under £1800 | Please call us |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Over £1800 | Free |
| Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight | All orders | Not available |
Exceptions to our delivery charges are Scottish Highland and Isle of Wight delivery areas where we need to charge a little extra to cover the cost of deliveries to these outlying areas. We don’t currently delivery to other offshore addresses including Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.
Tall plants over 2.5 metres have to be delivered by our own specialised transport, our delivery area is limited to mainland England and Wales only.
Please note there is a minimum order value of £50 for orders containing smaller plants and £250 for orders containing heavier plants
Complete delivery information can be viewed on our Delivery Information page
