Three things I wish someone had told me before growing Holly

After growing Holly for over a year here is what I'd tell a beginner.

First: deadheading where appropriate to extend the flowering season is not optional — it's the foundation everything else depends on. Second: box blight and box moth caterpillar on Buxus species will happen and you should know how to handle it before it does. Third: a formal clipped topiary or box hedge genuinely matters — the right position unlocks wide range from ground-covering species to large specimens in a way a poor position never will. summer flowering on the current season's growth is the payoff for getting all of this right. It's worth every bit of effort.