The Bergblog

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

December 10, 2025 The Holly and the Ivy

The holly and the ivy,

now both are full well grown,

Of all the trees that are in the wood,

the holly bears the crown.

Oh, the rising of the sun

and the running of the deer,

The playing of the merry organ,

sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a blossom

as white as lily flower,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

to be our sweet savior

The holly bears a berry

as red as any blood,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

to do poor sinners good.

The holly bears a prickle

as sharp as any thorn,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

on Christmas Day in the morn.

The holly bears a bark

as bitter as any gall,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

for to redeem us all.

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

December 9, 2025 English Ivy

common ivy, English-ivy

Outside of learning art techniques from my art tutor (who grew up in Australia, lived in England and now living in Germany) I also learn a lot about life in Europe and Australia and the flora and fauna there. The most recent thing I have learned is about what I have always called English Ivy, or just Ivy, a good bit of which grows around my house. The scientific name for this Ivy is Hedera helix, but I have learned that it exhibits differences in appearance between its varieties found in America and England, the most obvious of which is the leaf shapes. The Ivy found in America, often now referred to as "common ivy" have broader and more lobed leaves than the English Ivy, which are more just oval leaves with sharp points. The green is even of a different shade, and the American type often has some color variegation (lighter green or yellow edges). This has come about due to the environmental adaptions the ivy has taken on since it has been introduced to American climate variations. These adaptions have also made the American variety is more of an invasive plant, whereas the English Ivy has a slower growth rate and is more compact.