DIY festive foliage that's a real snip

LOOK TO THE GARDEN TO FIND ALL YOU NEED FOR BEAUTIFUL DECS

- DAVID DOMONEY

IFIND Christmas really begins once the house fills with fragrance, from spiced drinks on the hob and something delicious in the oven to greenery gathered from the garden.

When borders feel bare, evergreens step into the spotlight. With a few hardworking plants, you can snip natural decorations in early December for outdoors, and from mid-December for inside.

Holly's glossy leaves and berries instantly say Christmas. Variegated forms such as Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ bring cream-edged foliage, brightening the dullest day.

Plant holly in moist but well-drained soil, in sun or partial shade. It works well as a hedge, specimen shrub or mixed border plant.