TREES
1 VARIEGATED HOLLY (ILEX AQUIFOLIUM)
Evergreen holly with marbled leaves can bring year-round light and interest to a sombre site. Plants are male or female, and, generally, the females produce the attractive scarlet berries when they are fertilised by pollen from a male plant. To ensure winter berries, it’s advisable to plant one male tree and one female (although some plant companies do now sell pairs in one pot). Holly ‘Golden King’ has spineless green leaves with a gold rim, and Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ has spiny foliage with silvery cream edges, but there are lots of different ones to choose from. Hollies will grow well in partial shade, preferably with moist, well-drained soil. Deeper shade may cause the leaf colouration to be less defined.
2 IRISH YEW (TAXUS BACCATA 'FASTIGIATA')
This dense, upright tree has an elegant column shape and dark green needle-like leaves. It is compact, and therefore suitable for small gardens. The female plants have red berries in the autumn. The golden version, Taxus baccata Fastigiata Aurea, would lighten up a gloomy garden corner. It's important to note that this plant is toxic, so it's best to avoid this tree if you have young children or pets.
