Advent botany enters its third year to the sound of a yodeling gherkin; but why? It started with a list of the weirdest Christmas traditions in the Telegraph newspaper and…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Christmas Day: The Christmas Cactus
By Alastair Culham My grandfather grew a huge Christmas cactus which flowered regularly every year. It spent the summers in a shady spot in the garden and the winters indoors…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 24: King Protea
By Robbie Blackhall-Miles Every year in preparation for Christmas a king from a distant land honours me with its presence. The king of which I speak is a Protea cynaroides, the…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 23: Night of the Radishes
By Emma Cooper When you think about Christmas plants you probably think about holly and ivy, possibly Christmas trees and poinsettias, and maybe even Brussels sprouts and parsnips. But I…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 22: Healing Christmas: Cinnamon
By Macarena Cárdenas Think of the smell and taste of Christmas and Cinnamon may come to your mind, the sweet essence of mulled wine, or in the warmth of the…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 21: Winter mint
By Jeanne Osnas and Katherine Preston (Botanists in the Kitchen) @BitKBlog The candy cane, that red- and white-striped hard candy imbued with peppermint oil, is a signature confection of the…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 19: Popcorn tree decorations
By Sophie Marley By now most of us will be adorning our Christmas tree with dazzling decorations and scrummy treats. This year I have a new eye catching addition, strings…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 18: The Tangerine – Just Like a Virgin
By John Warren When I was a kid, every Christmas my dad would give me a tangerine, a six pence and a pat on the head. By the time I…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 17: Sgan t’sek
By Chelsey Geralda Armstrong On Day 4 of the advent botany series this year we heard about the world’s 4th largest nut crop, the European Hazelnut (Corylus avellena). But, it’s…Read More >
Advent Botany 2015 – Day 16: Straw or Hay, which will make Dr M’s day?
By Dr M Goes Wild Poaceae, as the song goes, is a family of grasses green and wonderful, but just how green and just how wonderful even Poaceae aficionado Dr…Read More >