The Ilex crenata ‘Dark Green’ Instant Hedge, commonly known as Japanese Holly, is a low-growing, evergreen hedging solution perfect for compact borders, neat pathways, and refined garden designs. Supplied exclusively by Green-tech in 1-metre troughs, each contains 5 dense plants, standing 30–35cm tall with strong 20cm root balls—ready for immediate planting and impact.
Often used as a box hedge alternative, Ilex crenata ‘Dark Green’ boasts small, glossy green leaves, excellent form, and high resistance to common hedge diseases such as box blight. Its dense growth habit makes it particularly effective for creating tidy formal lines, parterres, edging borders, or low-level privacy hedges.
This versatile instant hedge is highly suited to landscapers, professional gardeners, councils, and developers seeking elegant, disease-resistant hedging for residential and commercial projects.
Features and Benefits
Evergreen Elegance: Glossy green foliage for year-round visual appeal.
Box Hedge Alternative: Ideal for formal designs, with no risk of box blight.
Low Growing & Dense: Perfect for borders, pathways, and formal features.
Disease Resistant: Hardy and tolerant of urban pollution and light frosts.
Instant Planting Format: Delivered in 1m troughs for immediate use and structure.
Applications
Formal borders and parterre edging
Low boundary definition in gardens and estates
Pathway and driveway lining
Courtyard and rooftop landscaping
Public and commercial green space edging
Specification
Pack Size: 5 plants per 1m trough
Trough Length: 1 metre
Plant Height: 30–35cm
Root Ball Size: 20cm diameter
Growth Habit: Slow-growing, compact, evergreen
Appearance: Dense, small-leaved foliage – dark green, glossy
Available: Year-round (subject to stock)
Planting and Aftercare Instructions
Planting Steps:
Prepare a trench twice as wide as the root balls.
Carefully remove plants from the trough and position evenly.
Backfill with quality topsoil and gently firm in.
Water immediately and continue regularly during establishment.
Aftercare Tips:
Water consistently for the first 1–2 years, especially in dry conditions.
Lightly trim to maintain neat shape and density.
Best in well-drained, slightly acidic soils in sun or partial shade.
Apply mulch yearly to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
Important Notes & Customer Responsibility
These instant hedges are natural living plants, and as such, their appearance will vary seasonally.
Winter: Expect some leaf loss in deciduous varieties and reduced foliage density as plants enter dormancy. This is a natural part of their life cycle and does not indicate poor health.
Spring and Summer: With warmer temperatures, hedges will regrow leaves and fill out, displaying vibrant, dense foliage as they actively grow.
Watering and aftercare are critical for successful establishment and long-term growth. Insufficient watering, especially during dry spells or immediately after planting, can affect plant health and development. Proper aftercare includes:
Regular watering, especially during the first year
Applying a suitable fertiliser or hedge feed in early spring and mid-summer to promote healthy growth
Occasional pruning to maintain shape and encourage density
Because these are living plants that respond to environmental conditions, Green-tech cannot accept returns once the plants have been delivered.
Our instant hedges provide an immediate, effective solution for screening, privacy, and boundary definition. While they offer instant coverage, please remember they are still maturing and will continue to fill out and strengthen over time with proper care. Delivery Information
All instant hedge orders are delivered on pallets via heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). To ensure a smooth delivery, please carefully review and prepare for the following:
Pallet Delivery: Your hedge will arrive on a pallet transported by an HGV.
Access Requirements: It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure there is adequate access for the delivery vehicle. This includes:
A flat, level, and hard-standing surface suitable for offloading the pallet
Sufficient space for the HGV to manoeuvre safely near the delivery point
Domestic Deliveries: For residential addresses, the delivery vehicle will have a tail-lift to assist with unloading where possible. However, tail-lift offloading cannot be guaranteed for all locations. Customers may need to unload the pallet manually (handballing) or arrange for a forklift or assistance on-site.
Delivery Address: Please ensure the delivery address provided can accommodate an HGV, and any necessary permissions or arrangements for access are in place (e.g., notifying property management or neighbours if needed).
If you have specific delivery requirements or concerns, please contact Green-tech ahead of ordering. We are happy to advise and assist to help your delivery go smoothly. Please Note:
This product is dispatched directly from our trusted supplier’s warehouse. While we aim to keep product availability as accurate as possible, we do not have live stock control for these items. Availability is subject to change, and delivery can take up to 15 working days, depending on stock levels at the time of order.
Tracking information will be provided where available, but please note this is dependent on the supplier’s shipping process. If you have any questions about lead times or delivery, our team is happy to help before you place your order.

Feature Specification
Species Ilex crenata ‘Dark Green’ (Japanese Holly)
Number of Plants 5 per 1m trough
Plant Height 30–35 cm
Root Ball Size 20 cm diameter
Growth Form Low, compact, evergreen
Soil Preference Slightly acidic, free-draining soils
Light Requirement Full sun to partial shade
Delivery Season Year-round (subject to availability)
Packaging 1-metre trough
Ideal Uses Formal low hedging, box alternative, border edging