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What holly to plant for berries

LesleyKLesleyK Posts: 4,029
in Talkback

I have planted a Golden King which I know is female and now want to plant a male to get berries.  Should it be a Golden Queen or can it be any other male.  A different colour would be nice.   If so does anyone have any recommendations and how far apart should they be planted.

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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    You can keep them trimmed into shape though, and they often benefit from a good haircut if they really get out of hand. I had a nice pair of standard hollies at my last house as they were much tougher for the location than box, and the bunnies couldn't reach them! image

    I think it's Silver Queen that's the popular male variety Lesley. image 

    Must have been a man that named those...imageimage

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LesleyKLesleyK Posts: 4,029

    Thanks a lot pansy and Fairyimage  I'll see if I can get my hands on Silver Queen.  So it doesn't matter how close they are then?

    Must have been a man who named them as you say Fairy - well some comedianimage

  • archiepemarchiepem Posts: 1,155

    image

     we had a holly tree when we moved in . and it berrys every yearimage

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Lovely archie image

    I'd give them a good bit of room if you can Lesley -  a couple of metres apart anyway - so that you can let them get the conical shape - I'm fairly sure the gold one grows like that but I could be completely wrong! If you're not  bothered about that you could put them closer so that you can get in to prune etc.

     

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LesleyKLesleyK Posts: 4,029

    That's just what I am hoping for given time Archieimage

    Thanks again Fairy.  My aim is to block the neighbours rather sad fence and the weeds and sheds beyond and bring the bed further out into the garden.  I already have a viburnum and a laurel and have cotoneaster which is doing quite well at growing vertically up the fence.

    The icing on the cake will be berries for the birds and Christmas decorations for meimage

  • DorsetUKDorsetUK Posts: 441

    You will have to be quick, the blackbirds will have the lot if there's a really cold spell early December.  There's a massive tree in a closeby hedge, millions of berries every year and the blackbirds arrive en-masse on a chilly day.  You can hear them from some distance and there's nothing left by evening.  As far as I'm concerned better a few more birds surviving than my Christmas decorations.

  • LesleyKLesleyK Posts: 4,029

    I completely agree DorsetUK.  Just hoping they'll leave me a few but if not I'll buy a few red beadsimage

  • archiepemarchiepem Posts: 1,155

    i like to cut mine on christmass eve . berries or no berries . image if you look at my picture there are a few berries . but that was a few years ago . last year we had lotsimage

  • LesleyKLesleyK Posts: 4,029

    Archie - you're a manimage.  I've never had time to go outside to cut anything on Christmas Eve.  Everything has to be in place by Christmas eve eve.imageimage

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    I think I'd have a plain dark green male rather than another variegated one.image



    In the sticks near Peterborough
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