When it comes to holly, most people’s thoughts head straight to the holidays… and we get it! With its glossy foliage that shines all year long, holly is undoubtedly a wintertime icon. But Oakland™ Holly is here to prove it’s more than just a cold-season star. This evergreen stunner sparkles in spring and summer containers too, bringing bright foliage and effortless structure to porches, patios, and lackluster corners in need of a refresh.
With its upright habit, oak-shaped dark green leaves, and naturally tidy form, Oakland™ Holly is the definition of “main character energy,” perfect as the central “thriller” element in containers that can be updated year-round with annuals and seasonal accents. And here’s a design tip from our pros: retaining a defining shrub like Oakland Holly in your containers from season to season lends consistency and character to home exteriors, giving them a clear sense of place.
Design maven Steph Green of Contained Creations envisioned this striking summer container, featuring Oakland Holly as its centerpiece, surrounded by colorful annuals that can be adapted to suit your own region and sun exposure. With over a decade of experience creating eye-catching combinations for Southern gardens, Steph brings her signature style and garden know-how to designs that thrive through the hottest days of the season.
Time to Craft Your Combo!
- Consider the shape of your planter. Oakland Holly™ offers robust size, so a larger planter (16-28” diameter) in a traditional box, urn, or round shape visually balances the height of the plant.
- Center Oakland™ Holly in the planter as your “thriller,” using its upright form to lend structure.
- Add depth and drama with a heuchera or heucherella. ‘Twilight’ Heucherella offers moody charcoal-hued leaves that create contrast and texture, while ‘Cracked Ice’ Heucherella brings foliage that shifts in hue throughout the year, from silvery pinks to blues and greens. Both thrive in shadier spots, making them perfect for bringing color and interest to those lower-light areas of your landscape.
- Adorn with other seasonally appropriate annuals and perennials. Here, Steph uses artemisia, a mix of cheery pink dahlias, and trailing bacopa.
- Dealing with full sun or extreme heat? Opt for these abundantly blooming picks: Peach Glow Little Lucky™ Lantana, Garden Jewels™ Pink Gerbera Daisy, REALFLOR® Real Cream Leucanthemum, or ColorPop Pickables™ Dianthus.
Keep on Growing
Evergreen shrubs are the secret ingredient in some of your favorite planters for good reason! They’re easy-care, beautiful year-round, and often require less maintenance than annuals or perennials. If you’re searching for even more container-spiration with evergreen shrubs, check out Steph’s “Party in a Pot” summer container design, as well as downloadable recipes featuring some of your favorite Southern Living Plants. And be sure not to miss her must-know container design secrets from the Southern Living® Idea House!