There is no need to look further than your own garden for the good Christmas verdure to use for holiday decorating . Right outside your threshold , growing in your garden , neighbourhood , and car park are filled with shrubs , trees , and perennial plant that would be very felicitous to share a few branches with you for seasonal enjoyment .
When it come to decorate for Christmas , I always occupy my sign of the zodiac with tons of foraged greenery . I take bits from my garden , locality , and local nature sphere to bring the out-of-doors inside . It ’s the easiest , sleazy , and most beautiful way to decorate for Christmas in my opinion !
This will guide you through some of thebest types of greenery for Christmas based on appearance and longevityand also which ones you should avoid .
OnlySouthern Magnolia(Magnolia grandiflora) will have the coppery hue.
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How to Responsibly Prune Christmas Greenery
First a note on pruning ! When harvesting verdure for Christmas , it ’s important tofollow the basics of pruningtomaintain the industrial plant ’s overall health .
Take maintenance to remove leg from tree diagram and shrubs as if you werethinning the structure . This will help to retain the beauty of the plant in the landscape . perennial that have dried in the garden can be swerve back completely without any issues .
My Favourite Fresh Christmas Greenery
Not all greenery is the same . I have a few favourites that I find myself turning to each year due to their specific appearance , smelling , or longevity . My favorite are also gentle to find where I live , so that also bring a factor . But here are a few highlight and how to use them !
Magnolia
Pros : appearance and length of service . southerly magnolia has a beautiful copper vividness underneath the leaves that await beautiful in wreaths and windowpane boxes . It live an incredibly long clock time before drying out .
I summate bits of magnolia to many different kinds of musical arrangement , evenmaking a wreath whole of magnolia leaves . Below , you’re able to see how I incorporated them for some height in awindow box plantation owner . Your center is at once draw to them and thecontrasting glossy greenish meridian and coppery brown bottoms of the leaf .
Cedar
Pros : using indoors . It has some of the best longevity , go two weeks outside of piddle indoors and even longer outside .
If you want tomake your own garlandto utilisation inside , I highly urge take a crap it out of cedar tree . This is what I personally habituate for a wreath since I bonk it willlast a while without needing piddle . you may make it ahead of meter and use it to cloak across mantle , railings , and porches .
Blue Spruce
pro : beautiful blue colouring . It works well for outdoor garlands and wreath as it can dry out quickly deep down and drip needles .
you’re able to see how much the blue spruce stomach out inthis design . Itsdistinct gray-headed - blue needlesoffer a nice variety amongst the other fresh Christmas verdure .
Holly
professional : beautiful cherry berries . A Christmas classic , you could make awreath entirely out of hollyor add it along your other arrangements for a pop of red vividness .
Holly is another eccentric of verdure I use in many different decorations . Take a look at most of these pictures , and you ’ll see thedistinct holly berries . you’re able to well spot the crimson Charles Hardin Holley in this chaplet boast 13 different plant varieties , all trim within a 1 kilometre space from my family .
Eucalyptus
Pros : scent . Eucalyptus is one of the good eccentric of greenery to expend to tot some redolence . While it does n’t stay fresh for long , it dries attractively .
Eucalyptus can really be used year - round . For example , this wreath could stay on the front door well into the newfangled year and not look out of position . I enjoy how sophisticated thisaromatherapy wreathlooks , featuringsilver dollar eucalyptus and incense cedar . you could just imagine how good it smells !
Euonymus
pro : appearance . I place a lot of euonymus in all kinds of my Christmas greenery because it give such a unparalleled and beautiful variegation .
In thisChristmas candle lei centrepieceI made , I used euonymus as the bottom layer . you may see how much it stand up out and is anunusual but welcome type of Christmas verdure .
Hydrangea
Pros : form . I do it usingdried hydrangeafrom my garden to add something a little unique to my wreaths .
Inthis wreath , hydrangea becomes the perfect focal point in the asymmetrical design . When dried properly , they can retain some beautifulwatercolour - like food coloring . They’re best cumulate in the declination when they dry out naturally on the branches .
Bay Laurel
Pros : readily available . Bay Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel smack delicious and is another welcome addition to wreaths hung at the front door , where their scent might be enjoyed .
A laurel wreath is one of theoriginal symbolisation of triumphin ancient Greece . It ’s one of the most traditional wreaths you may make ! But I like to apply it as a makeweight alongside other greens , like thisholly lei . It combine in attractively .
Japanese Aucuba
Pros : appearance . Nipponese aucuba has beautiful spotted yellow leaves that give some colour alongside its fresh leaves to wreaths , garlands , and more .
Japanese genus Aucuba is a popularhouseplant , but it also grow outside where I be , making it easy for me to find to append as a decorative element to my wreaths and centrepiece .
Can you see theyellow - spotted leavesin this wreath ?
Fraser Fir
Pros : readily available . As one of the most pop character of greenery used forChristmas trees , you’re able to take clippings from your own Christmas tree to use in your décor .
Take a look at how I used Fraser fir at the bottom of thisChristmas candle centrepiece . Pointy acerate leaf always bring in anice grain to transcription .
Types of Greenery for Holiday Decorating
As you’re able to probably see by now , Christmas greenery is not limited just to evergreens , and it ’s not always unripened ! Some of the most beautiful holiday arrangements include needle and broad - leafage evergreen leaf , recurrent heyday and seed heads , herbs , and subdivision .
Conifers
abridge these phonograph needle - foliage evergreens from well - established trees / bush . The branches should be stiff , coolheaded to the touch , and full of unripened needles . Avoid browning , yellow , shedding needles , or obvious sign of disease and plague trouble .
Broad-Leaf Evergreens
spacious - leaf evergreensadd a different textureand a whole lot of colour to vacation arrangements . These are some of my favourites .
Herbs
herb are afragrant additionto vacation decorating and complement the other elements well .
Perennials and Flowers
perennial that haveflowered and dry in the gardencan provide beautiful additions to a wreath or coronal . When the holiday season amount around , you ’ll be felicitous that you did n’t turn out these back !
Dried Flower Heads
Dried Seed Heads and Pods
Branches
Any branches that look beautiful in the garden would see lovely in vacation decorating , but a few are extra especial .
Types of Greenery to Avoid
Some character of garden verdure are best to void , as they wo n’t last long enough to enjoy in system . Yewlooks moderately in the garden , but it will shake off its leaves within a day , and it ’s quitetoxic to petsand humans . Best to give yew a pass .
Norway spruceis apopular Christmas tree , but it also sheds needles the degenerate .
Boxwoodis probably one of the most popular broad - folio evergreen plant for decorate with verdure , but I only expend the motley varieties . Many of the vulgar greenish salmagundi smell dreadful ( like cat urine ) , which is n’t something I want on my door or holiday tabular array .
in the end , be trusted to see for greenery that isfree from pests and diseases . you may always wash the uncompromising cuttings with the garden hose if debris is provide over from the mature time of year .
Frequently Asked Questions About Decorating With Christmas Greenery
I encourage you to forage for greenery for Christmas as much as potential ! Clip from your own garden and nature area away from home . check that you recognise which plant life are okay to glean from and debar anything endanger . In term of buying Christmas greenery , stay away from florist shops . While the quality will be splendid , you ’ll also give a pretty centime for it . Look for what ’s local to your area , as that ’s what will be the most affordable . pine tree , spruce , and cedar tree are the least expensive for me because they ’re plentiful in my area . The rarer it is , the more expensive it will be .
The freshman the ingredients , the longer they ’ll last . Before you even begin using your greenery , let the theme plunge as much water system as possible beforehand . Make a fresh cut to the stem , then let it sit down in water system for ideally 24 60 minutes before decorating with greenery . Once you ’ve grace , you could mist the verdure to keep them hydrated . Mist the back where the stems are so they can drink in some of the wet . The cooler the air , the long greenery will last . This stand for that Christmas greenery does the good while outdoors , out of direct sun . Inside , keep it away from any hotness germ . If the verdure is little and moveable , consider moving it to a coolheaded position like the fridge , basement , or garage when not in use .
If you properly care for your verdure and it ’s fresh , it can last 2 + calendar week inside the house . When out of doors , it live for much longer . This think you’re able to commonly enjoy it well past Christmas !
Cedar , Fraser fir , Douglas fir , balsam fir , Nordman fir , scotch pine , magnolia , and ruscus are all overbold Christmas greenery that survive a long meter without water system .
In terms of traditional Christmas greenery , incense cedar , Fraser fir , balsam fir , scotch pine tree , and eucalyptus are all very fragrant . Also , view incorporating herb like rosemary , salvia , or lavender if scent is your elementary goal .
There are so many material to work with out in the world — specially in differing clime — and I ’m always learning fresh I that lick ( and do n’t ) .
How to Use Christmas Greenery
Now that you have all your gorgeous greenery quick , here are a few ways you’re able to use it to make beautiful Christmas interior decoration .
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