Position: Full sun to deep shade; stands exposed sites
Soil: Any well drained but moist soil, acid or alkaline
Rate of growth: 10-20cm per year
Height: Eventually 20m, may be kept 1-4m with pruning
Spread: As a tree, eventually 10m, may be kept 1-3m  with pruning
Flowers: Clusters of small cream flowers in spring
Fruit: Usually red fruit on female plants
CAUTION: Toxic if eaten

Common holly is an aristocrat among topiary shapes. Easily grown and a UK native, it will form impressively dense evergreen balls and domes if regularly trimmed, its prickly and wonderfully shiny, rich-green foliage contrasting well with other topiary plants. We find that if you keep Ilex aquifolium tightly trimmed it will form the best-defined balls and domes. Adopt a slightly more relaxed attitude to shaping plants and they may reward with scented white flowers in spring and clusters of red berries in winter. Common holly holds an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) which is given only to the best garden plants; it is also toxic.