Winter is here and with it comes the bleak landscape of so many homes. This is not done purposely but because those outside of the design field usually make their plant decisions based on flowers. Flowers are beautiful and can be an essential part of the landscape but so is winter interest. The best thing you can do for your landscape is plant in layers and a great backdrop layer to add winter flare are Hollies.
The best Hollies for this are the evergreen varieties with sharp leaves. There are many different cultivars but I recommend the ones with the blueish leaves as the bright red berries really stand out, making quite the show. Plant a row of hydrangea in front of them and they make a stunning backdrop in the Spring-Fall months as well. Just remember only the females get the berries so you will need to plant a male somewhere on your property to pollinate the females. Deer will often browse on Hollies so if they are popular on your property plant the Ilex Opaca (American Holly) as these are rarely browsed upon. If you do plant Hollies expect to see some beautiful Blue Jays, Robins and Cardinals attracted as they feed upon the nutritious berries when they need them most.