Cicely Mary Barker's Yew Fairy

Here, on the dark and solemn Yew,
A marvel may be seen, 
Where waxen berries, pink and new, 
Appear amid the green.

I sit a-dreaming in the tree, 
So old and yet so new; 
One hundred years, or two, or three 
Are little to the Yew.

I think of bygone centuries, 
And seem to see anew 
The archers face their enemies 
With bended bows of Yew.

Native to Asia, North Africa and Europe, the yew has had legendary associations for centuries.  The wood of the yew was once used for making longbows.  Frost-hardy trees, they tolerate a wide variety of conditions including heavy shade and poor soil.  They do not enjoy warm winters or hot, dry summers.  Propagate from seed or cutting or by grafting.