Japanese Holly ' Stokes', is a box-leaved holly which can be used to make an excellent formal hedge. This is not the type of holly that you would normally find as a sprig adorning festive puddings! But Ilex crenata is, however, often associated with winter. Indeed, Holly ' Stokes' thrives in low temperatures. The plant even produces snow-coloured flowers in the spring, offering a white Easter as a bizarre alternative to the traditional white Christmas. These frosty blooms are succeeded by berries, the black colour of which is reminiscent of long, dark midwinter nights. However, a Box-leaved Holly is for life, not just for Christmas; the plant's evergreen, shiny foliage offers versatile, year-round interest. The shrub is low-growing, thus suitable for enhancing borders as well as for hedging. Whether trained into a formal boundary or admired as a specimen, this male cultivar deserves a spot in any cottage or woodland garden in every season.

Height: 60cm (2'). Spread: 90cm (3').

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Ilex crenata ' Stokes' makes an excellent hedging plant
- a great alternative to box for creating a formal boundary! This low-growing
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Ilex crenata ' Stokes' makes an excellent hedging plant
- a great alternative to box for creating a formal boundary! This low-growing
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A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. A strong alternative to Yew, Holly can be grown as a single species hedge or included in mixed native hedges to provide all year round interest & shelter for birds & mammals.

Height: 12m (39'). Spread: 8m (26'). Supplied as  30
- 45 cm potted plants   (12
- 18). Planting distance: 45cm (18).



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A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. ...

A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. ...

A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. ...

A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. ...

A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. ...

A well known British native, particularly for its red berries at Christmas; Holly is a prickly evergreen shrub which makes a fine evergreen hedge. The dark green, glossy leaves provide a lovely foil for lighter coloured shrubs & perennials & its tolerance to clipping makes it a good choice for formal hedges. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing so needs less maintenance than other shrubs & the spiny leaves are an excellent deterrent to intruders. ...