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Description

A smart, evergreen alternative to traditional box! This Ilex crenata Japanese Holly gives the same clipped, formal look without the worry that often comes with buxus. Neat, dense and naturally stylish, it arrives already shaped into a crisp topiary ball, ready to bring instant structure and polish to the garden.

The small, dark glossy green leaves closely resemble classic box hedging, creating that same timeless effect of year-round order and evergreen interest. In summer, delicate white flowers add another layer of appeal, followed later by glossy black berries that bring extra seasonal character.

This is a wonderfully versatile topiary plant, just as effective in a decorative pot by a doorway as it does lining a path or adding shape to a mixed border. The clipped ball form brings balance, structure and a sense of calm to any outdoor space, whether the setting is traditional or more contemporary.

Unlike buxus, Ilex crenata is valued as a more reliable and lower-fuss choice, with far less concern over the common pest and disease issues that have made box more challenging in recent years. Hardy, dependable and easy to accommodate, it is an excellent way to achieve a classic topiary look with greater peace of mind.

Supplied as an established plant in a 21cm pot, 25cm in diameter, ready to plant.

Top Tips

Lightly trim once or twice a year � after the main flush of new growth in late spring and again in midsummer. A few quick snips are all it takes to keep that lovely rounded shape.

Care Information

On Arrival and Planting

Unpack your Ilex crenata ball as soon as it arrives and give it a good drink of water if the compost feels dry. If you're not planting straight away, just leave it in a sheltered spot outdoors and make sure it stays watered.
Choose a sunny or lightly shaded spot - this plant is wonderfully adaptable. It�s happy in the ground or in containers, so it works just as well flanking a doorway or lining a formal path as it does nestled into a flower bed for year-round structure.
Use a container with good drainage holes and fill it with a high-quality compost. Place your plant in the centre, ensuring it sits at the same level as it was in its nursery pot, then backfill around the rootball and firm in gently.
Water well to settle it in.
Or, if planting in the ground, dig a hole roughly twice the width of the pot and just as deep.
Loosen the soil at the bottom, add a handful of slow-release fertiliser if you have it, then position the plant and refill around it.
Firm down and water in thoroughly.

Ongoing Care

Keep the soil moist, especially during the first growing season - once established, it�s reasonably drought tolerant.
Feed in spring with a general-purpose fertiliser to encourage healthy growth.

Delivery Information

Our experienced team at the nursery will always carefully package and send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive once you receive and plant them. Although most plants are extremely tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme of weather conditions, we always avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme frosts or heat is forecast. We also avoid dispatching orders over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. If you have ordered a 'pre-order' item, these will be sent out as soon as possible after the quoted dispatch date and we generally ship your entire order with any pre-ordered items. Once your order has been dispatched, we will send you an email with details on how you can track it.

We send most of our orders via a fully tracked courier service with Yodel. We will send you a tracking link as soon as your order has been dispatched. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, we will not require a signature on delivery, and we ask out couriers to leave your item in a safe place ad your delivery address.

*Please note, once your item has been delivered, we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your delivery address. If you have delivery instruction and require our courier to leave your item in a specific place, please let us know - there is an option to leave a message for the courier at the checkout.

For smaller and single-item orders, we may send these via the post with Royal Mail - Tracking will not be available for orders sent via this method.

**Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.

For all orders, a small delivery fee of £4.99 will be charged or spend over £49.99 for FREE Delivery!

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