The Winterberry Bowl
Bringing holly indoors for Christmas is believed to ensure a year of good luck!
Ilex Verticillata or Winterberry is a species of holly, native to Canada and the US.
The bare branches covered in berries make irresistible floral arrangements and our studio is brightened by them over the Christmas period.
It’s the one time of year when a lot of us still practice a few folk customs.
To profit from the power of holly, Celts would hang sprigs in their windows and over the door to keep witches and evil spirits away.
Since it was well known that only good people could enter a house protected that way, it became a symbol of hospitality.
In days gone by a bunch of holly was placed in the stable or cow shed on Christmas Eve to bring luck and favour the animals; custom has it that cattle will thrive and sheep produce twins if holly is hung where they can see it.
This year the hedgerows of the wet, acid soil in the Dale beam with colour and it seems appropriate to celebrate this abundance.