In a class of its own, holly hedging has all the characteristics of a fantastic hedge: slow growing (10-15cm per annum), evergreen, dense, and resistant to pollution. It is famously great for wildlife having the highest calorific value of any evergreen species, and was once a staple of rural communities, used as fodder for deer and ponies. Holly works well as a windbreak and its prickly nature functions as a good deterrent to potential intruders.