Burford Holly: a Low Maintenance Classic

With over three acres of land and a full time job, I am all about low maintenance gardening. I long ago realized that shrubs give me the most impact for my efforts, and hollies are at the top of the list for ease of care. Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii' is a Chinese holly that has been around a long time. Its favor has waned as trendier garden fashions have come and gone, but I think it deserves new recognition.

Burford holly has glossy, evergreen leaves with pointed tips. One does need to be careful of those sharp tips when pruning! The shrub produces creamy white flowers in spring. The small blooms may not be very noticeable to humans, but the bees love them. I am amazed by the dozens of bees that cover the shrub when it is in bloom, buzzing about and becoming drunk on the nectar.The flowers are followed by bright red berries. The characteristic that first drew me to Burford holly is that, unlike many other hollies, the shrub doesn't require a male pollinator for heavy fruit set.Birds, including robins, cardinals, and sparrows, will eat the berries in late winter after they have softened. Birds also consider Burford holly a choice nesting site.

I lightly prune my Burford holly once a year in December and use the cuttings, laden with berries, for Christmas decorations. Heavier pruning should wait till early spring, right before new growth begins. These shrubs are often pruned into formal shapes or used as hedges, but I have let mine keep its natural form. Interestingly, the branches of my particular plant have something of a weeping habit, which I think is beautiful. A recent photo of Burford holly in my garden

There are two forms of Burford holly, and one should be careful to purchase the best one for the location. The standard Burford holly will grow at least 15 to 20 feet high and wide, and if the lower limbs are removed, it will make an attractive small tree. The dwarf form, which is what I have, will be smaller, 6 to 10 feet in height and width. Note that the dwarf form is still a large shrub. Do not plant it as a foundation shrub in front of a window, as you will hate it when you are constantly having to prune the branches with their sharp, pointy leaves! I have seen dwarf burford holly advertised as a slow grower that will grow to only 2 to 3 feet. This has not been my experience, so it must be a different cultivar. Be sure of what you are getting.

Burford holly will grow in full sun to partial shade in hardiness zones 7-9. It is heat and drought tolerant and pest and disease resistant. Scale insects can sometimes be a problem, producing a black, sooty mold. Fortunately, my plant has never been affected. Though it will adapt to a variety of soil types and pH levels, it likes well drained, acidic soil. I fertilize mine only once a year, in early spring, with an organic fertilizer for acid loving plants.

Low maintenance gardening is first dependent on planting the right plant in the right place. If that rule is followed with Burford holly, it should provide you with years of pleasure, as it has done for me.

I Was a Fool for Fuyu, and Other Thoughts

It's not quite winter here yet, but fall is fading fast. Most deciduous leaves have fallen and have been raked into natural areas, where they will decompose and add nutrients to the soil, as well as providing a warm blanket of protection for chilly roots. A leaf mulcher would be nice, as shredded leaves would have a neater appearance but I'm not sure I really need one.

Today was drab, and as I write this there is a cold rain coming down. I don't mind. A fire blazes in the fireplace nearby, and I am thankful for the sheltering comfort of the house around me. I am enjoying going through recent photos.

Here are a few late fall images in my garden:
Upper left is a newer purchase for the woodland garden, a frost proof purple pot. I hope it will compliment the gold spring and fall foliage of the nearby Japanese maple 'Waterfall', as well as the chartreuse and rust colored leaves of the heuchera 'Tiramisu'. Upper right is a very large maple leaf. Below left is spirea 'Goldmound', noted for its golden spring leaves, but the fall colors are also lovely. On the lower right is the fruit of my persimmon tree. I thought it was 'Fuyu' when I planted it last year. Lou says, "Fuyu fooled you!" It turns out I have the persimmon 'Tamopan'. It is a beautiful, large persimmon that looks like it's wearing a cap! But it is astringent, which means I have to let it fully ripen before I eat it. I am bitterly disappointed. My heart was set on the non-astringent Fuyu. Although 'Tamopan' is tasty when it is ripe, I'm not sure what I will do. 

Earlier this week I took some shots of the December sky:

While leaves turn brown and the garden shivers in its nakedness, camellias are beginning to bloom! Below is 'Leslie Ann' on the left, and an unknown on the right. This second one was a 'rescue' plant. I had no idea what the flowers looked like. Hooray! Sometimes it doesn't work out when I take in a sad, homeless plant, but this one is growing well and has beautiful blooms.

Here's a recent look into the woodland garden. Toward the back you can see the red leaves of the Japanese maple 'Orido Nishiki'. This Japanese maple is the last one in my garden to loose its leaves. I think after today's rain they will be gone.

Finally, here are some photos of our resident Red-shouldered Hawk:

He was sitting above our patio one morning, waiting for the unfortunate ground squirrels who are fattening themselves on birdseed. (He was probably eyeing the little song birds, too, but I prefer not to think about that.) As you can see, he is well-fed, as are all the critters in my garden. Lou saw this same hawk attempt to catch a full grown gray squirrel the other day. The squirrel, fortunately for him, was too heavy and escaped. Smaller ground squirrels are not so lucky!