Wouldn’t you love to have an abundance of fresh holiday greens, brilliant berries and colorful twigs at your fingertips at the beginning of the winter holidays each and every year? Endless fodder for wreath making, mantle decorating, garland enhancing and container filling can be yours for the taking if you plan now and plant come spring.
Top picks include…
You may not be able to add every type of winter interest plant to your landscaping, but just a few select options will give you plenty of raw material to work with no matter what natural decorations you would like to craft. To make the most of these options…
- Choose plants that will work well in your landscaping, taking into account soil type, sunlight levels and the plants’ mature sizes to be sure they will thrive. Plant them properly and give them appropriate care so they stay healthy and lush.
- Opt for faster-growing varieties if you want extra raw material to work with for seasonal decorating. This will give you more prunings to use for your holiday crafts, but don’t overprune or you risk damaging the plants and they may not recover.
- Choose at least 1-2 plants from each category if space permits in your landscape. This will give you even more variety to work with to create stunning holiday arrangements. Alternatively, opt for plants that can do double duty, providing both foliage and berries, for example.
- Consult with neighbors if they have plants you’d like to use; they may be happy to let you have their prunings and you can share a decorated arrangement as a gift in return. You can also visit Christmas tree lots or botanical gardens to ask about raw material that may be available for free or at a very low cost.
With proper planning for your landscape, you will ensure you have plenty of handy material for all your natural holiday decorating needs.
