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 >
Advent Botany
#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 >
#AdventBotany2020 – Day 1 Ivy, Hedera helix L.
Alastair Culham & Dawn Bazely The first ever post for #Adventbotany was short entry on Ivy by Alastair Culham. 1st day of #AdventBotany – Hedera helix – highly variable evergreen…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 17: The festive bean
By Manuel Santos Gutiérrez and Tomos Jones Today we’re heading to España (Spain), not strictly for Christmas but rather for día de Reyes, meaning ‘Kings’ Day’, i.e. Epiphany. According to…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 16: scent of a Mahonia?
By Alastair Culham Whenever I think I’m running out of Christmas plants I can be sure that something will intercede to remind me of just how many plants are linked…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 15: Merry Christmoss
By Charlie Campbell During the darkest months of the year, it is a tradition in many cultures to bring evergreen plants inside to remind us of the coming of spring….Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 14: nativitatis
By Alastair Culham Of the approximately 400000 recognised plant species in the world only a handful have a name linked to Christmas. Today we visit the species whose epithet is…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 13: Snow White and Rose Red
By Amie Bolissian-McRae The rosewater used in our sweet festive snow was typically made from Rosa gallica L. or Rosa damascena Mill. (the Damask rose). Rosewater is something that, today,…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 12: Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow!
By Amie Bolissian-McRae How can you make your White Christmas dreams come true every year if you don’t live in a winter wonderland country like Norway or Canada? Well, you…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 11: Brandy
By Alastair Culham A key winter preservative for mincemeat, Christmas puddings and cakes, as well as fruit is alcohol. The classic alcohol for these is French Brandy (Cognac or Armagnac)…Read More >