Further Information

You'll see our recommended planting densities for each size and root type listed in the product grid. We suggest that you use these as a guide, taking into consideration how long you're willing to wait to see your finished hedge. As a rough indication bare roots can be planted at anything from 3 to 7 per metre and cell grown between 4 and 6 - the higher densities here would need to be planted in a double staggered row or zig-zag.

For more information on planting distances please see our planting density advice section.

Pruning Advice

The best time to prune Holly is during its dormant period in late winter or early spring. This timing helps avoid cutting off the branches that will produce flowers and berries later in the year.

Pruning your English Holly is mostly about upkeep — removing dead or damaged branches and preventing congestion. For those who enjoy Holly’s festive berries, it’s best to prune after the flowers have bloomed, focusing only on the non-flowering shoots.

English Holly is quite forgiving and can handle both light trims and more substantial cuts back if it has outgrown its space. Heavy pruning should ideally be done in winter when the plant is dormant to minimise stress.

Don’t forget to mulch and feed your Holly after pruning. This little bit of TLC will help it recover quickly and thrive, ensuring your hedge continues to be a stunning feature in your garden.

Learn more about caring for Holly hedging here.

Delivery & Returns

Everything you need to know about your delivery: Free delivery - this is available on all orders when you reach a minimum order value. Details are in the delivery information table below. Current delivery times: within 7 days. *Some trees and troughs can be up to 14 days.

Product Type	Standard Delivery Charge	Minimum Order Values (inc VAT) for FREE Delivery
All Items (Excluding Root Balls and Pleached Trees)	£9.98 delivery charge (orders up to £250)	Orders of £250 and over - FREE
Root Balls, Troughs & Pots 10L+	£29.99 delivery charge (orders up to £250)	Orders of £250 and over - FREE
Pleached Trees (Specialist Delivery)	£450 delivery charge (orders up to £1500)	Orders of £1500 and over - FREE

Premium Delivery – Choose a day that suits you for your delivery. If premium delivery is available on the products you’ve chosen, simply select this option at checkout. For an additional £16.00, you can choose a specific date to have your order delivered. This means orders less than £250 will pay the applicable delivery fee plus £16 and orders above £250 only £16.00.

For full delivery information, including area exceptions, see our delivery page.

English Holly Hedge Ilex aquifolium

Name: English Holly Hedge
Brand: Hedges Direct
SKU: ILE
Price: 2.99 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (569 reviews)

From £2.99

In Stock

English Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is a beautiful and versatile evergreen hedge. It is notable for its distinctive prickly leaves - deep green and glossy, its bright-red winter berries and attractive ornamental aesthetic. Its dense prickly habit also makes English Holly hedging an excellent security barrier and privacy screen.

EVERGREEN
NATIVE
SLOW GROWING
HAS BERRIES

Planting Conditions: Suitable for normal, clay or chalk soils, full sun to full shade and inland, coastal or exposed sites
Growth Rate: Slow growing, expect 0-10cm per year
Height: Easily maintained at 1-4m
Bare root plants are shown as a single bare root and a bundle for comparison. Please note if ordering 1 x bare root, this will be a single plant not a bundle unless shown as a multibuy item.
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In stock

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SKU ILE

Free Delivery On All Orders Over £250*

£9.98 Standard Delivery Below £250

£29.99 Standard Delivery Below £250 (Root Balls, Troughs & Pots 10L+)

*Excludes Pleached trees

Holly (Ilex aquifolium) Hedge Plant Description

English Holly (Ilex Aquifolium) is a staple in many gardens, admired for its glossy, spiky leaves and bright red berries. This slow-growing, evergreen hedge offers year-round privacy and adds a touch of traditional charm to any setting. Native to the UK, Ilex Aquifolium is known for its dense, prickly leaves, making it an ideal intruder-proof hedge and a barrier against harsh winds and pollution. Its rich, dark green foliage becomes the backdrop for vibrant red or orange berries in winter, offering a festive touch to the frosty months and a nutritious food source for native birds. However, English Holly berries are considered toxic to humans, pets, and grazing animals.

Slow-growing yet steadfast, Holly hedges increase by about 10-15cm each year, prefer full or partial shade, and tolerate exposed or seaside conditions. If kept neatly trimmed, an Ilex Aquifolium makes an excellent decorative hedge but can also work well as part of a mixed-native evergreen hedge to bring some much-needed winter colour to your garden.

Holly is suitable for most soil types, but it thrives best in moist, slightly acidic soil. It’s perfect for creating a robust, decorative border or as a feature plant in a wildlife garden.

If you're hoping to keep some Holly branches to use as Christmas decorations, try cutting off a few stems in early to mid-December and keeping them in a bucket of water in a cool place — otherwise, there's a strong chance the birds will get to the berries before you do! Just make sure to lay out some alternative food for the birds to eat.

At Hedges Direct, we offer bare-root Holly hedging plants from November to April, and root-ball plants from mid-October to mid-April. We also sell pot-grown Holly hedging all year round.*

If you’re unsure where to start, our guide to different root types explains the differences and helps you determine which is best for you.

*Bare-root and root-ball stock are subject to availability and may change, but are generally available from autumn through to spring.

Choose English Holly Hedge root types

What are root types?

Root types explained.

Bare root
Field grown, bare roots are young plants that are only planted when they are dormant, from autumn to spring. We lift bare root plants and despatch them during the season but they can be pre-ordered in summer. As they are cheaper to grow, they are one of our most affordable hedge planting options.
Pot grown
Pot grown plants can be planted year round and make a convenient option. They come in a wide range of sizes, from 10cm to 2.5m so they're suitable for the majority of planting requirements.
Root ball
Also field grown, root ball plants are scooped out of the ground using machinery to keep their root system intact and wrapped in bio-degradable, hessian sacks. They are mature plants that provide dense coverage very early on, ideal for when you need a thick hedge quickly.
Instant
Grown in troughs or bags that measure 50cm-1 metre in length and carefully clipped during the growing season. Our instant hedging troughs create a dramatic, instant hedge effect.