I found this Holly bush in the woods several years ago. We didn't have one at home, so I pulled it from the ground, and brought the tiny plant back. It has now grown into a strapping bush, of over 15 ft high.
I've just noticed that it's covered in flowers. It has never born berries, so I'd always imagined that it was a male plant. However, all those flowers give me hope (not that we'll be here this Christmas).
The bush always reminds me of an event during my time spent living in Shropshire in the early 1980's.
A burley pugilistic member of the 'travelling community' had squatted on a small field at the bottom of our orchard, and without any planning permission, had begun to build a bungalow.
We'd exchanged words, and I was extremely fortunate to have escaped unscathed.
A couple of days before Christmas that same year, I went down to the bottom of the orchard to pick a few branches of Holly for the house; it had been covered in berries, and looked splendid
When I arrived at the tree with my secateurs, I found that the WHOLE tree had been cut down at the base and taken away; I could see remnants of my tree spread all over the garden of the 20 stone thug who'd threatened to tear out my giblets and feed them to his nice dog.
My Holly was probably already being displayed in houses across the county, as I surveyed the destruction.
There was nothing I could do, other than to curse a bit. Rules don't apply to certain people in the UK, and we had one of them living very close by!
I wonder if our bush will ever have berries; maybe those flowers are male flowers.
I suppose it is sods law that it will flower while you are in England this year.
ReplyDeleteJust our luck, but somehow I think it's never going to have berries. I have fake berries that I tie on to berry-less branches.
DeleteThe Roma used to, probably still will,sell branches of Holly in our markets at Christmas. It's not something I'd want in the house. May look nice on a Xmas card but it's very prickly. It grows wild around here but to 15ft!!
ReplyDeleteNot to 15ft
DeleteOurs is well over twice my height. We always have Holly indoors for Christmas; I'm surprised you don't.
DeleteCrikey. And I thought our neighbours were a nuisance!
ReplyDeleteWe bought two small Holly trees many years ago and brought them home in the back of the car. They have now grown to around 15ft too and sport berries in the winter. I usually cut a few twigs with berries and pop them into a vase of water for the dining room at Christmas.
This neighbour was more than a nuisance; he was also untouchable too. They are a law unto themselves, and no-one is prepared to 'upset' them.
DeleteOur new home has Holly trees (and a good Holly hedge) around it and is named for these (in Welsh). We would always pick sprigs of Holly to dress the house with (on top of picture frames) at our old house. At least the birds will appreciate the berries this winter.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine not having Holly and Ivy in the house at Christmas. And a tree of course!
DeleteWe have a constant battle with our neighbour's 15 foot holly bush. Our garden is south-east of theirs so it grows into ours. It also fills with sparrow nests so we have to hack it back hard before spring.
ReplyDeleteThey do get quite big, so I can understand it being a nuisance.
DeleteBirds in your vicinity will also be looking at the holly bush and hoping for a good crop of berries.
ReplyDeleteWe have an ancient Hawthorn tree that is covered with berry-bearing Ivy. The birds love that.
DeleteWe have a fair amount of holly in our hedges, but not many berries. It still looks good in the house, and we give our neighbour some for church decoration.
ReplyDeleteWe know a nearby house that has a Holly hedge. In winter it's almost totally RED with the berries. Meanwhile ours has none.
DeleteI do not understand why gypsies are treated differently to anyone else in the UK. How can anyone just trespass on land that is not theirs?
ReplyDeleteI think as long as they're not creating a mountain of rubbish, or starting a scrap yard, they prefer to leave them alone. Anything for a quiet life. Getting them out can take years and cost a fortune!
DeleteYes, the process of getting trespassers out is what I am talking about. Is there some kind of soft policy for them?
DeleteGypsies and Travellers trespassing are evicted. This happens all the time here and they are moved on. Permanent sites have been provided when Britain did as they were told by the EU. Other EU countries, notably France, have not complied with this. The soft approach is more where stolen goods are known to be on Travellers sites and the Police are reluctant to go in and confront.
DeleteMy daughter and son in law sold their caravan to gypsies in Italy and it was a funny story. Your story doesn't strike me as funny at all. I can't imagine having squatters and no legal recourse.
ReplyDeleteMy personal confrontation with the man in question was quite shocking. When I later recounted the tale to some friends, they said I must have crazy even to go near him!
DeleteWe have a variegated Holly ( about 6ft, really pretty but no berries ) and lots of plain green Holly that seeds itself everywhere ( but no berries !!!! ) one is pretty big and is part of our boundary. My sisters house is called Holly House ! XXXX
ReplyDeleteI presume it's a question of Male/Female. I fear mine is a useless Male.
DeleteI know there is something about the sexuality of holly bushes and you need both in order to have berries but that is as far as mmy knowledge goes.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it is something like that. It's been here for about 20 years, and never a single berry.
DeleteMale and female holly bushes produce flowers but only females go on to produce berries and you do need a male and female for that.
ReplyDeleteAs you said Cro, chances are you have a male bush that happens to be in flower at the moment. How about planting a couple of small holly bushes next to it? You’ll have a 3 in 4 chance of one of the little bushes being female
If I find another in the woods, I'll plant it nearby. Otherwise I'll have to stick to my faux-berries.
DeleteA traveller moved in to live with the girl in the house next to me for a while. Fortunately one of my neighbours in an ex commando who was not frightened of him and won the argument the traveller and the girl sold up and moved away.
ReplyDeleteThis guy was a BRUTE. In fact I don't think I'd ever encountered a more aggressive person.
DeleteI am James Stood from New York, United States, I am really excited about the work of DR. ZUMA, if not for him, I could have committed a suicide by now, or join my ancestors now, my wife left me with our two kids without having any misunderstanding, I tried to console her to come back to me, nothing was working out, I tried my best to have her back, I begged her, kneeled before her and begged her in tears, her no was still NO, she said she is not interested in the relationship anymore, I cried all through running up and down the streets, family relatives all to have her back because I missed her a lot mostly my children, I was not even seeing their faces at all. After a week, she brought a divorce letter to me for me to sign, I looked up and down, tears rolled down and I was frustrated, I told her, I will have to think about it. To God be all the Glory, I was directed by a friend of mine to a specialist world best known male Love Spell Caster called DR. ZUMA, I speak to her on phone, emailed each other all the time and he told me not worry about anything at all, I should relax my mind and calm down that my wife is going to come back before the week runs out, he also said he don’t charge for any of spell works, all I have to do is to provide the money needed for him to buy the materials to cast the love spell on her, I send to him and after two days he mailed and said he is done with the work, that my wife is going to come back in three days time with our children and she will kneel before me and begged in tears and promise not to leave me with any heart break again and she will cancelled the divorcement letter. I hacking into the words of DR. ZUMA and believed in him, all to my greatest surprise the words of DR. ZUMA came to pass and my wife now love me and we are now living together as one. I don’t have anything to say thank you to DR. ZUMA so I have to tell the world about him and you also can find a favor in him by contacting him on his email address spiritualherbalisthealing@gmail.com Whatsapp: +1(506)800-1647
ReplyDeleteI have two Holly trees and both get berries. I suspect that my neighbor has the male. We are not that close by, but Mother Nature has her ways. I do hate trimming those bushes a few times in the summer as they are prickly.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're lucky; apart from the prickles. One has to have Holly berries at Christmas.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSpell to fix your broken marriage or relationship problem or after a divorce or Breakup,I was recently scam by two of them, until one faithful day i meet a man called Dr Oselumen who help me to get back to the father of my kid after we have been separated for two years,I only pay for the items required for the spell and he cast the spell for me within 24hours my ex husband called me and beg me to forgive him for everything until the end of the world he will never leave me again we are together.if you need a real and quick love spell or you are passing through pregnancy problem Dr Oselumen is the answer, Pleas e if any body needs. LOVE SPELL,LOTTERY,PREGNANCY SPELL, DIVORCE SPELL,STOP COURT CASE AND WIN ANY COURT PROBLEM,DEATH SPELL,BUSINESS SPELL AND MANY MORE YOU MAY NEED. Email him now for your own help. via email droselumen@gmail. com add him on whatsapp line or call +2348054265852.
ReplyDeleteHERPES INFECTION CURE IS 100% AVAILABLE WITH THE HELP OF DR OGBERAESE HERBAL MEDICINE.Joy and happiness is all i can see around ever since i came in contact with this great man Called Dr Ogberaese. i complained bitterly to him about me having herpes only for him to tell me it’s a minor stuff. He told me he has cured thousands of people but i did not believe until he sent me the herbal medicine and i took it as instructed by this great man, only to go to the hospital after two weeks for another test and i was confirmed negative. For the first time in four years i was getting that result. i want to use this medium to thank this great man. His name is Dr Ogberaese , i came in with his email through a friend in USA called Edith Rose and ever since then my live has been full with laughter and great peace of mind. i urge you all with herpes or HSV1&2 to contact him if you are willing to give him a chance. you can contact him through his email drogberaese54@gmail.com or you can also WhatsApp him +2348073818653
ReplyDelete