By Andrew Bewsey, Jordan Bilsborrow, and Maria Christodoulou Mahleb is used many festive bakes for its aromatic properties. Found in texts dating to the medieval times, its popularity increased during…Read More >
Advent
#AdventBotany 2020 Day 3 – Ilex or Holly
By Alastair Culham Ilex is the only genus in the family Aquifoliacaeae. In Europe we know Holly (Ilex aquifolium) which is the third of our Christmas evergreens alongside Ivy and…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2020 – Day 2 Mulled Wine
By Jonathan Mitchley (heavily edited by Alastair Culham) The first #Adventbotany post by @DrMgoeswild was an exciting medly of fruit, spices and wine. Dr M offers a botanical extravaganza with…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 6: Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly…
By Claire Smith Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly… But not until Christmas Eve, otherwise you’ll have bad luck! Once your holly (Ilex aquifolium) and other festive evergreens are…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 2: Death by chocolate
By Alastair Culham In 2014 I introduced the food of the gods, Theobroma cacao, as the source of chocolate, that staple of Christmas excess, in the 16th Advent Botany post. …Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019, Day 1: Clementine, Satsuma, Tangerine; what’s the difference?
By Alastair Culham Welcome to #AdventBotany 2019 and the start of another journey into quirky, curious, hostorical and, above all, botanical information about the plants associated with the winter season….Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 25: Naughty or Nice?
By Claire Smith Are you on Santa’s Naughty or Nice list this year? If all you’ve discovered in the toe of your stocking this morning is a lump of coal,…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 24: The hunt for Disa x brendae
Neither my partner Ben nor I actively celebrate Christmas. We prefer to hide away from the crazy world that Christmas has become and endeavour to find ourselves as far away…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 23: I met Tunnicliffe in a forest of Conifers
by Claire Smith As children I’m sure we’ve all sprinkled far too much glitter onto a pine cone and hung it from the Christmas tree… but have you ever wondered…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 22: Thyme for a good stuffing
By Fi Young Sage and onion stuffing seems to be the norm for stuffing a Christmas turkey, but what about using thyme? A Google search produced 9 million results! A…Read More >