We try and add a minimum of 100 new holly plants a year in order to keep up with the growing demand for freshly cut holly for wreath making.
It is all planted as dual purpose, more often than not it is planted alongside the farm stock fencing to provide a substantial barrier for livestock whilst still allowing a ‘crop’ of holly to be harvested for our wreaths. More recently we have added rows of holly to act as windbreaks for other, more delicate, horticultural crops and this has been quite successful.
We took these plants as cuttings last year and will grow them on in pots until November this year when they will be planted out. It might be 15 years or so before these plants are providing a good annual holly harvest.