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Ilex Aquifolium Silver van tol — 28 Comments

  1. Alistair, your Silver Van Tol is outstanding! I like the standard form very much. I agree that it is much easier to plant a holly that is self-fertile.

  2. I agree Rick, and signs of Spring are seen earlier here than up in Aberdeen. Only thing is I have the garden pretty well much set up for Summer without having put enough attention into Spring.

  3. It always saddens me to walk round the garden at this time of year and see the plants which have done so well just hanging on in flower, the only antidote is to start thinking of Spring and the pleasures that are to come. Lucky find with the Ilex, I can never make my mind up about them, other than a massive common holly I grow a bush Ilex aquifolium ‘Gold Flash’ as standards don’t fit in too well with my style of garden, however, for your garden, I think your new acquisition is just the job.

  4. That’s strange Helene, this is the second year for our pinky winky. Last year it was smothered in blooms in its first year in Aberdeen, this year in Cheshire planted in a reasonably sunny spot, it was slow to get started and only produced three blooms very late in the season.

  5. Nice looking holly Alistair, and I do love a good looking standard. I suppose it will require a fair amount of pruning in years to come. I got rid of my holly a year ago, one I inherited with the house, it was just over 5m tall and very wide and had to go when the neighbours made their extension. Haven’t really missed it yet, except for the fact that I could take nice photos of the abundance of berries for Christmas cards.

    Nice to see all your autumn plants so lush and in full flower, I can see your ‘Pinky Winky’ is doing better than mine – mine is in its second year and is probably growing too shady, only produced two flowers and still haven’t turned pink. I think I need to move it.

  6. Well of course “faffing about” is not an expression I’ve ever heard before but it recalls some of those interesting words that Lewis Carroll liked to make up by putting other words together. Kind of crossing them, like rose varieties. So faffing might be genetically connected to fluffing and laughing and maybe, distantly, to something having to do with a duck? (Daffy.) Just guessing. I like that pale lavender aster and it almost makes me want more asters, scaffolding or no.

  7. Hmmmmmm….alas I’m not a holly fan. I’d be a gazzillionaire if I’d had a pound for everytime those prickly leaves have found me, my arms & hands….Grrrrr.
    Yours looks great…..but in your garden, 🙂

  8. Hi Janet
    Never bothered much with Persicaria in the past, we have another form in the back garden and yes, it doesn’t half spread.

  9. Hi Alistair, hollies are a bit of a nightmare, aren’t they, not least because so many nurseries and garden centres don’t clearly label the plants as male or female – or, indeed, self-fertile! I was trying to explain it all to a neighbor we have been helping out, she was thoroughly confused. You have packed an impressive amount of colour in to your garden, and chosen such a good bunch of hard working but beautiful plants. I rather like the look of your persicaria, I am developing a bit of an addiction, which is unfortunate as they take up quite a lot of room when they are happy…

  10. I like the idea of a self pollinating holly. I bought four Nellie Stvens and they all turned out to be male so very poor berry set. Your October flowers are lovely. I am not sure how to do the cursor reveal because aim using an iPad.

  11. I did see reports about the flooding in the Aberdeen area Kat. It would help if they got back to cleaning out the drains, as they did in the past.

  12. These blooms will soon be gone Donna. The out of season blooming of the Brunnera is just one of those things, like getting the occasional bloom showing on a Rhododendron in late Summer.

  13. Thanks Carolyn
    I have added a lot of new top soil to some areas, the actual true garden soil is very clay like and prone to water logging in Winter.

  14. Very pretty Holly Alistair and such a colourful garden as ever.

    Thank you for sharing

    We have had a lot of rain these past few days but today turned out sunn? blue sky and 15 deg

    Sadly floods Aberdeenshire

  15. Your garden is always such a delight to view. And your good variety of plant materials makes it more interesting. The new holly standard is lovely. I really enjoy your blog and pictures. That soil just looks lush! Thanks for posting and sharing.

  16. I love Ilex but those that keep their leaves (hollies) are not usually found thriving here. My winterberries, another ilex, is deciduous leaving only the berries which the birds eat. I like your focal plant and the variegation. Looks great in that bed. And how nice it is fertile and produces its own berries too.

    Lots of flowers still blooming for you…most are going, going, gone here with colder weather setting in. I must say Alistair that I have never seen a brunnera blooming in October. Nice.

  17. Your Silver Van Tol is stunning, Alistair. I’ve been faffing about and had no joy with hollies. And I really need one to provide decoration for my Christmas pud. — which no American understands. Must try again. P. x

  18. Hi Annette
    The flowers on this Persicaria are a bit larger than some but like most close up shots they give the impression of being larger than they are.It was still like Summer here last week, turned much cooler these past couple of days.

  19. Nice choice Alistair, looks great in that border. Self fertile holly is a great way to ensure you have berries in the garden for winter time.
    You’ve some real pretties still flowering down there. The border with the trellis as a background is so full already. Well done.

  20. Hi Alistair, Your new standard holly is going to look wonderful throughout the year – a great centrepiece for your flower bed. You have so many plants still flowering – I am amazed at the size of the blooms on your Persicaria – are they as big as the photo suggests? I was sent some Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ from Angie earlier in the year and I am really looking forward to it flowering. Meanwhile the leaves look wonderful. Your borders and beds look full of plants – I look forward to seeing them in the Spring.
    Here in Aberdeen it is wet and windy today – fairly typical I guess for October.

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