The message
from Dave contains these words:

Em,
I did wonder if I'd paid too much. The garden centre I bought these
from, Altons:

http://www.alton-gardencentre.co.uk/

is in supposed to be in Wickford, Essex, but it seems much closer to
Rayleigh to me. (It's on the A127 Southend Rd, if you know it). I
suspect it is not the cheapest by a long way, but their plans do seem to
be in good condition - unlike some of the others, where they try to sell
half-dead plants. I'm amazed what places like B+Q try to sell, but even
some decent sized garden centres around here have plants in poor
condition. Altons is a pretty large place, with a cafe inside etc. I do
not know of a larger place myself, but I am sure there are larger
places. They clearly are not set up for internet sales.

Well, I know the area - or did. I'm afraid you're being charged Basildon
prices.

Try looking in Romford Market.

I can't afford to buy any more at £300-£600, but looking in any of the
garden centres around here, many plants are a lot of money. I might look
at other places online to buy other hollies to fill the gap in my hedge.

Holly grows quite quickly. Well, like a rocket. Just plant some berries
- or seeds from them, in moist compost. You should get approaching one
plant per seed if you keep them moist and shaded. If you let them rip,
they'll reach twelve feet in around five years. (I just cut down a
twelve-footer which was less than two feet high four years ago.)

Apart from looking quite nice, they also add security, as their leaves
are not too inviting for intruders!

Nah! When I was a young Bug (Brentwood Schoolboy, for the uninitiated)
we used to leap out of our dorm window into the holly hedge beneath. It
wasn't so high as to be growing the non-prickly leaves, and a 'proper'
jump had to be done in pyjamas, or less.

--
Rusty
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