Holly is an ancient plant and there is an abundance of folklore about Christmas Holly. The glossy, spiny, green leaves and bright, scarlet berries of the Ilex Aquifolium look joyful at this time of year and epitomize the Christmas colours we know and love. In olden days people would hang it outside their homes for good luck but it was…
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The Folklore of Christmas Holly
The Symbolism of the Olive Tree
What is the symbolism of the olive tree? There are many meanings of the olive tree. It is a symbol of friendship and reconciliation, cleansing and healing, light, victory and richness and, above all, a sign of peace. It is a plant which should be treated with reverence as it holds many spiritual gifts. The first Olive tree in Greek…
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Pulsatilla – The Easter Flower
Why is Pulsatilla called the Easter Flower? There is a simple answer – that this beautiful flower, also known as the Pasque Flower, enriches our lives early in the spring usually around Easter. However, there is so much more to explain the link with Easter. This is a deeply spiritual plant and one of my all time favourites. There are…
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Bleeding Heart and the Doctrine of Signatures
Dicentra Spectabilis, more aptly known as Bleeding Heart, is a perfect example of how the Doctrine of Signatures works. What is the Doctrine of Signatures? This was a theory, developed in the middle ages, that when a flower or plant resembles a part of the human body it would have healing properties for that organ. We must not forget that…
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Borage – Blunt or Brave?
This week our November mornings have been damp and dark. Yet I spied a borage plant in the corner of the field and the bright, sapphire blue, star-shaped flowers inspired me and invigorated me. Some love and some hate borage but why? Borage the Weed The ‘haters’, I believe, are those who have had borage in their gardens and become…
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