Decking your Halls (with more than just store bought) Holly

 

This time of year, it's not hard to find some holiday inspiration. In fact, we have all  been seeing visions of mall garland and ribbon since about October. But what about changing it up this year by finding that inspiration outside? It is absolutely the most wonderful time of year to utilize some of our great Southern evergreens for your decorations, and many of these evergreens are found right outside your backdoor. These guys are a joy for the senses, great scent, a multitude of textures, and an array of vibrant shades of green.  Instead of roaming the mall, take a walk  outside in our winter landscapes to gather, to cut, and create your own holiday look...for your table, door, mantle, or wherever that pop of Christmas green is needed. 

And for those of you who claim to know not a thing about plants and who think they don't even know where to start, don't worry, it's pretty foolproof this time of year... just follow the green. Since the leaves have fallen off of our deciduous species, our evergreens are the stars of the landscape right now.   

The materials:

 A handful of Eastern Red Cedar, Loblolly Pine, some winged branches, pine cones, Muscadine vine and a lichen covered limb (don't overlook the grays and the sculptural potential of winter limbs and branches) were all picked up on a Saturday morning hike. Some other options include: Hollies (of all variety), Magnolia, Aucuba, or any other evergreen leaf (large or small). Since these were for the cabin, we stuck to the natives we could find right in the woods. To pull it all together, I used an Oasis cage and boat...both of which can be found at your local flower shop or craft store. Of course, you will need some snips, scissors, some ribbon, and maybe some floral wire (also available at your local flower shop or craft store). I set up shop outside on the porch due to the great weekend weather and an easy clean up.  

The Centerpiece: 

I started with a centerpiece after soaking the Oasis block. Before you get started, know your space...How tall can it be? Will the piece be viewed from all sides or just the front? How wide can it be? Mantles in the South are of all widths. Now, just start from the bottom, filling in around the base. Balance is the trick to making a great centerpiece...the sides (front, back, left, right), colors (there are different shades of greens), and textures (course and fine) should all remain in balance to create a cohesive look. 

    Don't forget a focal point. For this one, we wired in a lichen branch across the front and then nestled a pine cone grouping behind it. The focal point, needs to be just as it says, the piece that really pulls in your focus. The winged branches added an extra pop of winter to the background. 

And it never hurts, to have a pair of elves...not matter the breed to help out.

  .... And a spirited piece of a winter landscape to make your holiday trimmings both merry and bright! 

The Centerpiece of your Front Door: 

(or in our case the front porch post)

  For our cage to hang on the door, the process is pretty much the same. Simply, start by soaking your cage. 

Then fill in your greenery around the base and move toward the center, mixing up the textures and colors. To change it up a bit, the pine was given a bit of a "haircut" to shorten the needles in order to alter its shape and make it appear more dense.

The focal point for this cage (as you can note) is our Christmas bow tucked into the bottom left corner and some muscadine vine looped behind it. Muscadine vine is a great addition due to its pliability...you can make it do just about anything.  Don't forget to know your space...size of your door, post, clearance, etc. It also helps, when doing door cages, to hold them up to the door during the process (as my mom is doing in this case).  

So this year, take a break from the mall and celebrate our native winter landscapes by utilizing all the joy they have to offer in your own decorations, and the joy of saving time and money will be an added side effect to the wonderful sights and scents of your evergreens. Remember that just like a live plant, keep it watered and your celebration of the winter landscape will last through the new years!