Mistletoe

The dark evergreen foliage and white berries of Mistletoe, provide us with a decorative plant that adds a touch of mischievousness to our Christmas decorations.

Mistletoe with berries

A long tradition of  kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas is still very much in vogue today but have you ever wondered why we do this and what other ancient traditions are associated with this mysterious plant.

We have found a fantastic website that tells you absolutely everything you need to know about Mistletoe.

Mistletoe Pages is a UK based website which aims to provide helpful information on many aspects of Mistletoe including, preservation, cultivation, biology, control, harvesting, medicinal and design uses.

Find information on Mistletoe events, book specialist speakers from the Mistletoe Consultancy and even buy bunches of Mistletoe or your own Mistletoe “grow kit”

More Mistletoe

James Wong helps with Mistletoe harvest and finds out more about it’s habits and folklore in BBC Countryfile

Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Festival

The Mistletoe Foundation – More about the “Druids Herb”.

Christmas flowers

Christmas is a great time to use flowers in floral dispalys, table centres and candle arrangements.

Using floral arrangements instead of or as well as the Christmas tree will add that touch of individuality and does not have to be expensive.

A simple handful of flowers can be transformed into a stunning arrangement by using plenty of different textured greenery which many will have available in their gardens.

One of Chrissies' wonderful designs

Even pieces of old Christmas decoration and ribbon can be very effective for dressing up a plant pot or display.

If you need some inspiration for your designs, we recommend a visit to this rather special website by Chrissi Harten.

There are many pictures of classical and modern flower arrangements with full details of the plant materials and techniques used.

For those who enjoy flower arranging or want to learn to do their own arrangements, the Floral Design Magazine provides a wealth of ideas, tips and information.