ILEX CRENATA ‘DARK GREEN’

The small shiny green leaves of this box-leaved holly are a great alternative to buxus cultivars, now that box blight is proving such a problem. It’s happy being clipped and is a popular choice in Japan for cloud pruning or niwaki – a type of topiary where trees and shrubs are pruned into cloud shapes. This tough plant is unfussy about soil as long as it’s well drained; it can also tolerate shade and urban pollution. H4m (13ft) S3m (10ft) if left unclipped