Christmas is coming and the season of holly and ivy is here. There are quite a lot of bushes with berries about in the hedgerows though lam not sure whether it is possible to take branches for decoration. I have heard it is illegal, and similarly, that you can just help yourself. If anyone can enlighten me, I would be grateful. Holly has both male and female plants, and obviously it is the female which bears the berries, which are poisonous.

In the past the wood from the holly plant was used for walking sticks and for firewood, apparently it burned particularly well. A Cornish friend tells me that as a child her family never had a Christmas tree. Her father would cut a large holly branch from the hedgerow and this would be decorated. She remembers many of her friends doing the same thing. Nowadays we still place holly wreaths at our front doors and around our houses at Christmas, the reasons for this must go far into the past.

Ivy, another seasonal plant, is in flower at the moment, and though the flowers are fairly small, they smell quite nice. Both ivy and mistletoe, another popular Christmas plant were highly regarded by the Druids. Ivy was believed to have great spiritual powers and the Romans believed an ivy wreath placed around the head was a cure for drunkenness? Ivy is one plant I would not touch under any circumstances as it contains

Hedgerow Harvest

By Jennifer Green

December/January

some highly dangerous substances, but apparently it was frequently used medicinally, the leaves are said to be good for ulcers and sore throats if taken internally, and externally, applied to joints are supposed to relieve rheumatic pains. A poultice made from chopped leaves are also believed to ease boils and poultices. As I said I wouldn't touch or take ivy at all.

The Druids revered mistletoe believing it had the power to confer eternal life, and it was used in their most sacred rituals. Druid priests handed out sprigs of mistletoe to their followers who wore them as lucky charms or hung them at doorways, perhaps this was the forerunner of today's practice of kissing under the berries. Unfortunately, mistletoe is becoming quite scarce in Britain and most of that in the shops is imported. The plant is parasitic by nature, growing on older trees, but particularly favouring old fruit trees, which is why it was commonly found in orchards.

Medicinally, the leaves have been used to treat heart conditions, high blood pressure and epilepsy. Once again, though, I would not attempt to use any part of this plant. The berries are extremely toxic. Decorating the house with all three of these plants not only adds a festive air, but brings a little of the past folklore nearer.