The idea occurred to me at the last Christmas themed Fish and Farmers’ Market in Balbriggan for 2012, that decorating wreathes and houses with ivy makes sense because it grows so prolifically in Ireland. Holly grows here of course too, but it is not nearly as common as ivy. With the amount of spare ivy growing in my little garden alone, I have used lengths of ivy to decorate at home and in church. The pulpit in St. George’s Church, Balbriggan, now looks like it is taking root!
Down the road in George’s Square, at the Fish and Farmers’ Market, the discussion turned to wreathes, made by Zee in Sonairte for sale at the market in aid of this popular ecology centre near Laytown train station. The wreathes consisted of vegetation which grows in and around the organic walled garden which includes some holly – lucky Sonairte. Anyway I am sticking with the ubiquitous ivy as green decoration and after the Feast of the Epiphany on Jan 6th, the bits of withering ivy can end up in the compost and return to the natural order of death and re-birth. Nollaig shona / Happy Christmas!
Source: Trevor’s Kitchen Garden – Leave the Rare Holly to Grow & Decorate with Ivy Instead
