5 Ways to Incorporate Gardening into Holiday Decor

The growing season may be over, but a gardener’s thoughts are never far from the love of nature’s bounty and the gifts from the good earth. The holidays are a perfect time to celebrate the everlasting spirit of gardening. Read on for five ways to incorporate gardening into holiday decor.

Garden-inspired Christmas trees — 3 ways to decorate your tree, garden style:

1. POTTING SHED TREE Use garden twine to tie tiny plant pots (loop twine through the drainage hole and knot), small garden tools, vintage and decorative seed packets and antique garden advertising and memorabilia to your tree.
2. NATURAL CHRISTMAS TREE Use garden twine to hang pine cones, acorns, winterberries, milkweed seed pods, bird’s nests, lichen, small bird houses, or bird feathers. You can also make pine cone garland by tying pine cones along a long piece of twine at 1- or 2-inch intervals.
3. DRIED FLOWER HOLIDAY TREE Embellish your tree with dried flowers from your own garden for a special reminder of the growing season, or accent traditional ornaments with bunches of dried hydrangea flowers.
4. MAKE PRESSED FLOWER CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS Supplies for Pressed Flower Ornaments: An assortment of dried flowers and seeds, tacky glue, handmade paper (handmade paper in natural tones with texture is ideal), holiday cookie cutters, scissors, pencil, paper hole punch, garden twine. Directions for Pressed Flower Ornaments: Trace holiday cookie cutter shapes with pencil on to the paper and cut out. Punch a hole in the top of each cut out shape with the paper punch. Gently glue dried, pressed flowers on to the paper. Let dry and loop twine through the hole. Get instructions on how to press flowers.
5. DECORATE WITH TREE BRANCHES Place live tree branches and trimmings around the home to “spruce” it up and scent the air for the season. Place greens in containers with water and they should stay fresh. Fill a vase with a three or more assorted tree-trimming greens (spruce, pine, fir, etc.) for rich texture, scent and visual interest. Add a few sprigs of winterberry and you have a simple yet elegant seasonal accent. If you are not using a live tree, trimmings can be purchased in bundles at nurseries and at most Christmas Tree farms. Get instructions on how to make a holiday container garden!

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