{"product_id":"ilex-mes-heckenfee-100-120cm-root-ball-delivery-from-october","title":"Ilex mes. Heckenfee 100\/120cm Root Ball Delivery from October","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIlex meserveae 'Heckenfee'\u003c\/strong\u003e, commonly known as \u003cstrong\u003eBlue Holly\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a compact and exceptionally ornamental evergreen shrub that brings year-round elegance to the garden. Its leaves are a rich, lustrous blue-green — glossy and deep-toned, with a cool silvery sheen that gives the plant its distinctive character. Neatly toothed and held on dark purplish stems, the foliage has a jewel-like quality that few evergreen shrubs can match, looking polished and refined in every season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA female cultivar, 'Heckenfee' produces small white flowers in late spring that are attractive to bees and other pollinators, followed in autumn and winter by clusters of vivid \u003cstrong\u003ebright red berries\u003c\/strong\u003e when a compatible male holly is planted nearby. These cheerful berries glow against the dark foliage, bringing warmth and festive colour to the winter garden while providing an important food source for birds through the colder months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn habit, 'Heckenfee' grows into a \u003cstrong\u003edense, rounded, and neatly compact shrub\u003c\/strong\u003e, naturally maintaining a tidy, well-structured form. It is an outstanding choice as a specimen plant, for low to medium formal or informal hedging, or as a reliable structural evergreen in mixed and shrub borders. Its restrained growth and naturally orderly outline make it particularly well suited to smaller gardens and contemporary planting schemes where a well-behaved, year-round presence is valued.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eIlex meserveae\u003c\/em\u003e 'Heckenfee' performs best in \u003cstrong\u003efull sun to partial shade\u003c\/strong\u003e. A position receiving good light for at least part of the day will encourage the richest berry production and the most vivid blue-green leaf colour. It is notably \u003cstrong\u003ecold-hardy\u003c\/strong\u003e and tolerates exposed and urban sites with ease, making it a dependable choice for gardens in more challenging locations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e This holly is adaptable across a range of soil types and will establish well in most \u003cstrong\u003efertile, moist but well-drained soils\u003c\/strong\u003e. It has a preference for slightly acidic to neutral conditions but tolerates mild alkalinity. Good drainage is particularly important during establishment, as prolonged waterlogging should be avoided. Incorporating organic matter into the planting hole on poorer soils will give young plants the best possible start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBerrying:\u003c\/strong\u003e As a female cultivar, 'Heckenfee' requires a \u003cstrong\u003ecompatible male holly\u003c\/strong\u003e planted within reasonable proximity in order to set its characteristic red berries. A suitable male \u003cem\u003eIlex meserveae\u003c\/em\u003e or other compatible male holly planted nearby will allow pollinators to transfer pollen during the spring flowering period and ensure a reliable berry display each autumn and winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWatering and establishment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water newly planted hollies regularly throughout their first growing season, especially during dry spells, to encourage a strong and healthy root system. Once well established, 'Heckenfee' is \u003cstrong\u003etolerant of dry periods and remarkably low-maintenance\u003c\/strong\u003e, asking for little beyond an occasional seasonal tidy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e 'Heckenfee' naturally develops a neat, compact form and requires very little pruning to look its best. If shaping is desired — for instance when using it as a clipped hedge or formal specimen — prune in \u003cstrong\u003elate winter or early spring\u003c\/strong\u003e before new growth begins, or alternatively carry out light trimming in \u003cstrong\u003elate summer\u003c\/strong\u003e to refine the outline while preserving the developing berry clusters. Always use sharp, clean tools and wear gloves when working with this plant, as the leaf margins are lightly spined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Established plants in reasonably fertile soils need little in the way of additional feeding. On poorer ground, applying a \u003cstrong\u003ebalanced slow-release fertiliser\u003c\/strong\u003e in spring will support healthy growth and encourage generous berry production. A mulch of well-rotted organic matter spread around the base each spring helps to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and gradually enrich the soil as it breaks down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWildlife value:\u003c\/strong\u003e Beyond its considerable ornamental appeal, 'Heckenfee' is a genuinely \u003cstrong\u003ewildlife-friendly shrub\u003c\/strong\u003e. Its spring blossom offers nectar to bees and other early pollinators, its dense evergreen canopy provides shelter and potential nesting cover for birds and small mammals, and its winter berries are an important food source for thrushes, blackbirds, and other garden birds. Planting 'Heckenfee' makes a meaningful and lasting contribution to garden biodiversity throughout the year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Grasslands Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57323448697158,"sku":"173793","price":27.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0796\/7948\/8326\/files\/Ilex-mes-Heckenfee-100-120cm-Root-Ball-Delivery-from-October_173793_2026-09-10.jpg?v=1789034023","url":"https:\/\/www.grasslands.co.uk\/products\/ilex-mes-heckenfee-100-120cm-root-ball-delivery-from-october","provider":"Grasslands Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}