Boxwood is used to cover the forms of the decorative arches installed above the doorways of the Main Hall of The Cloisters each December. Ivy leaves, lady apples, and hazelnuts are then added. (For more about the making of the arches, see last year’s post “Decking The Halls“). The evergreen boxwood was used as a Christmas green in the Middle Ages, but was also used on Palm Sunday as a substitute for the exotic palm, which was not available in northern Europe.