There are many things to love about the holiday season, but if you ask us, one of the very best parts is seasonal decorating! It’s probably no surprise that fresh greenery is our favourite way to get into the holiday spirit, and to get you started we’ve put together a few tips on how to decorate your own home with fresh greenery:
Starting early? Choose greenery that lasts.
Pine, fir, and cedar dry slowly and retain needles well in indoor temperatures, making these a great choice if you can’t wait to get festive. Hemlock and spruce are better used for outdoor decorations, such as urns.
Use pruning shears, floral wire, and floral foam to construct the look you’re after.
Use boughs of pine, fir, or cedar for swags above doors, garlands along banisters or mantels, table displays, wreaths… wherever you want to use fresh greenery to warm up a space! Take some time to create the shape you want by trimming with your pruning shears, and use florist wire to secure pieces together for your desired length, shape, and volume. Floral foam can be used to create beautiful container arrangements.
Embellish with add-ons like pinecones, branches, or lights.
Once you have the basic shape of your greenery achieved, add texture, colour, and interest with some additional items. Natural materials like pinecones and branches – especially branches with colour like red dogwood, red willow, birch, or ones with dried berries – or items like lights, ribbons, or bells can add some magic to your arrangement. Are you going for a rustic, country look? Use natural pinecones, rusted bells, and branches. Do you prefer more glitz and glam? Go for glittery ribbon and glass baubles.
Mist or water your greenery to keep it fresh all season long.
Keep your greenery as humid as possible with frequent misting. If your arrangement includes a container filled with floral foam, water the container daily so that your greenery has lots to drink. Avoid placing greenery near floor vents, and if you decorate the fireplace mantle, remember that the heat will dry your arrangement out more quickly. It’s best to place this as close to Christmas as possible.
Find more beautiful holiday greenery inspiration on our Christmas at Shelmerdine Pinterest board right here.
Get creative, and enjoy the process!