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Common Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
The majestic Beech has been here since before we were an island - pollen in Hampshire has been dated back to 6000 BC. It is an antisocial tree, growing best among its own - hilltop beech groves are one of the most beautiful landscape features of Southern chalk downlands. It is adaptable, growing in moist soils and tolerant of shade, but it is vulnerable to dry conditions and grey squirrel damage.
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Box (Buxus sempervirens)
Box only grows to around 6 metres - and slowly. It's also poisonous to livestock, which two characterstics mean it is not widely planted other than for formal gardens. It does best on lighter soils, and with some shade.
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Common Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Holly is slow growing but tremendously useful, not only as an impenetrable evergreen screen, but also as it is very hardy; it grows in deep shade and on a wide range of well drained soil types. It is a good protective habitat for birds and small mammals, and of course they love the female plant's berries. Iti is the food plant of the Holly Blue. It transplants poorly, and we consequently sell it in containers rather than bare root.
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Common Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
This large spreading tree looks very similar to Beech, although it's not related and has an attractive fluted and sinewy trunk. It's a useful tree, holding its leaves in winter in a hedge (although not as a tree) and tolerating surpringly deep shade. Its wood is amazingly tough, hence it being known as "Ironwood", and burns well.
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Yew (Taxus baccata)
Although the foliage is poisonous to livestock, birds and small mammals love the berries and the trees - or
hedging
- as a habitat. It doesn't seem to be grown much now as a specimen tree; when looking for a yew people tend to go more for the Irish variety, with its more fastigiate and tidy habit.
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