joram

Nothing induces memories quite like smells. Especially in winter, different smells trigger warm emotional responses: the smell of cotton candy, fried sausages and cheap mulled wine makes people reminiscence of Christmas markets. The smell of pine gives us that lovely feeling of sitting in front of a Christmas tree on a cold but exciting morning. Let‘s have a look at what makes that smell.… Read more

Those who love winter usually love it for the opportunity to wrap oneself in a blanket, sit by the fire and enjoy the cozy indoor heat. Well, plants don’t have that luxury, most of them have to stay outside (despite Tegan’s best efforts to give them all a warm home). And for some, winter is almost never over.

For people in Central Europe or Northern America, winter is a passing season – its cold, dry weather is sure to pass, eventually. In some regions however, the cold season spans most of the year.… Read more

We’re back! The podcast took a short break for a few weeks but now, it is back, and it’s going strong. This week, we’re talking about not one but two papers – at the same time! We’re all about mistletoe, present you our favourite plant and so much more. It feels good to be back.

You can find the full episode here or in your podcast player.

I don’t understand why someone would put a spiky, angry little plant as a decorative element in their own home. For some reason however, holly made the cut of nice-to-have decorative plants, even though it is ready to stab me at any moment. If it only wasn’t for goats, then it would be a perfectly peaceful plant.… Read more

Do you know where your Christmas tree is from? Chances are you can pinpoint the nursery that grew the trees in your local area, but where did they get the seeds? … Read more

Today, it’s podcast release day. And as we’re both far from being fit, this is not a regular fun full episode, it is an irregular fun focused episode. It is about a post you might have read – but did you listen to Joram’s soothing voice read it to you on your way to work? Didn’t think so.

You can also move over to our Podcast section, where you’ll find the whole thing, too.

This article is part of our Christmas Advent’s Calendar.… Read more

Winter would be that much sadder without the green that remains on some trees – like our beloved Christmas trees conifers. They resist the peer pressure of other trees that drop their foliage as soon as it gets a little bit colder.… Read more

While Christmas trees are now ubiquitous and popular, the tradition of erecting a pine or fir in the confines of a home is relatively new. Using evergreens as a reminder of the better, as in warmer, times is an older tradition but it was Martin Luther, the protestant reformer, who is credited with coming up with the first Christmas tree. Whether it is folklore or truth is hard to tell these days, the first documented Christmas tree dates back to 1576 and is displayed in a keystone in Alsace in Germany France.… Read more