Celebrated in the loveliest of carols, holly warms hearts anew each winter, but there’s more to the spiky gem than merely Christmas cheer, writes Deborah Nicholls-Lee

Our festive traditions may feel rooted in celebrations of the birth of Christ, but the trees and plants we use for decoration tell a different story

Discover what makes these plants popular around Christmas time

P leached trees are often described as ‘hedges on stilts’. But that somewhat prosaic description doesn’t do justice to just how versatile, useful and beautiful an artfully pleached tree can be. Specia

If you want evidence that His Majesty The King has a whimsical sense of humour, you only have to look at his Thyme Walk. When he moved to Highgrove House near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in 1980, the go

A Victorian favourite, both the leaves and flowerheads ...