The Graveyard Slot

There is no plant more suited to the British churchyard than Ivy. I'm talking mediaeval gothic and Victorian Gothic revival churchyards here - not your 18th century classical or your modern 'Festival of Britain' job.

The 'yard has to be dark with a canopy of tall oaks and horse chestnuts. Headstones and crosses must untended and overgrown. The star of this show is of course the ivy. Not just any ivy, not just any Hedera Helix. It has to be that HH we all think of 'standard'. Despite this, the shape and size of the leaves can vary enormously, as too can the degree of veining.

The most atmospheric shots will be placed here.

No1: St Giles Northampton.

Despite what I've said above, this is a fairly bright and open churchyard and is something of a public space, and yet even here the Ivy has a foothold.

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