Garden Tip: Creating beautiful holiday containers

With the onset of plummeting temperatures, its time to perk up our porches with some sparkle, fragrant greens and holiday color.

First set the scene. For symmetry, set up matching pots either side of the front door. For an asymmetrical look, set a larger pot on one side with two smaller on the other side. Add in a door embellishment such as a wreath or swag. This creates a picture-perfect entry to welcome your holiday guests.

What you will need for a typical 10-inch pot:

A taller center item (2 to 3 feet tall or more if a larger pot)

At least three varieties of greens (about a half to full bundle of each)

Theme items (like glitter branches, pinecones, bows, etc.)

Greens are the starting material for your pots and should be a mix of tones and textures. You need at least one draping green, several filler greens and an item to add height. There are shades of green, too.

Variegated cedar adds bright lime and golden colors and is a nice, soft draping green, while Coned Cedar has bluer foliage and little brown cones. Good fillers are white pine tips and Port Orford cedar. The taller center could be birch logs, a cut spruce top or Redtwig Dogwood branches. Curly Willow branches also add wonderful height, texture and color.

After choosing your greens, bring out your personality with embellishments. Color is what draws your eye. Mix gold and platinum together for a fashion forward look or use copper to span Thanksgiving through the new year. For fun, swap out traditional pine green for lime accents. Even plum mixed with lime can add a modern pop of color. You can even add branched light sticks (lit with tiny LED lights) for extra twinkle.

Garden Tip is courtesy of The Growing Place, 630-355-4000.

Follow this link:
Garden Tip: Creating beautiful holiday containers