‘Floral Visitors Series: Ilex Aquifolium, Christmas Dinner’.

‘Floral Visitors Series - Ilex Aquifolium, Christmas Dinner’.

This artwork is sold unmounted and unframed.

Collage of drypoint etchings and monoprints.

52cm X 52cm

This collaged artwork depicts a Christmas table featuring some of the plants and flowers, which are beneficial for birds and insects during the cold winter months.

Holly is an excellent tree for the food chain attracting butterflies such as Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell. The caterpillars of the Holly Blue butterfly feed on the buds and young berries before pupating on the leaves. Holly berries are much loved by birds, especially Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes. Through its nectar Holly provides a source of food to the bees and other insects that pollinate its flowers.

Well known as a festive winter decoration Common Holly is one of Britain’s few native evergreen trees. It grows up to 25 metres tall with glossy, dark green (though occasionally variegated), wavy-edged, spiny leaves. Flowering begins when a tree is about 20 years old, and the flowers appear in clusters near the base of the leaves. They are pinkish red as buds, opening in May or June to reveal white flowers with four petals.

Hollies prefer well-drained sandy soil but will thrive in all soils, apart from water-logged conditions. Once planted they resent disturbance. New plants can be raised from cuttings taken in late-summer or autumn. Hollies can tolerate pollution, maritime conditions, and wind.