大象传媒

Chris Packham relives programmes from The Living World archives.

With Christmas fast approaching, many of us will be decorating our homes with the botanical trinity of; the holly, the ivy and mistletoe, of course.

And it is mistletoe that Lionel Kelleway focuses on in this programme first broadcast in 2001. Joining Lionel at Laddin Farm in Herefordshire is Jonathan Briggs from the Mistletoe Survey of Great Britain. The farm with its old orchards sits comfortably in the heart of Britain's mistletoe growing region, an ideal place to begin a journey into this strange hemiparasite of the plant world.

A favourite of ancient religions, mistletoe has long been regarded as something of a beauty and a beast, although as Lionel discovers at this time of the year there is even a mistletoe market in Worcestershire.

Producer Andrew Dawes.