If you want to add a festive touch without blowing the budget consider repurposing planters, window boxes, containers and hanging baskets of any kind from last season for festive displays that reflects your unique style.
Design considerations include creating height, shape and interest (fill, spill and thrill).
To style your container start with the greens that are most abundant to act as “filler”. Abundant being – a green that you don’t have to buy. In this planter it is Ontario cedar.
Ensure your clippers are clean before starting. Make clean, angled cuts (45 degrees to maximize stem surface area) and insert stems into the soil of the planter (other substrates like mulch also work). Ensure that your branches are inserted fully. Also ensure the stems can be watered-in to increase longevity. The moist soil will also freeze at low temperatures and keep the arrangement secure.
Next add stems of different types of greenery. In this planter we used Western cedar to provide the spill (Western cedar trails nicely) and the silver fir for contrast, texture and a bit of a thrill.
We also left the red star cordyline that had been in the planter for the summer season to provide an extra “thrill”. It adds good colour contrast and a festive touch to the arrangement.
Other summer favourites that will endure through the festive season and add beautiful silver contrast include dusty miller and sage.
As the season progresses the thrill factor can be added to with berries, birch and even man-made materials. Check out your local thrift store for great selection at a low price.
After the season is over, remove the thrill, continue to water and the greens will often last through the winter.
Editor’s tip: If you are looking for the untraditional -- vintage ice skates, sap buckets, an iron tractor seat, a galvanized bucket or even a straw bale can be an attractive, festive touch.
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