Thoughts of a classic New England Christmas typically evoke images of cheerful holiday wreaths, candlelit windows, and window boxes overflowing with natural elements like oversize pinecones, crab apples, red berries, and evergreen trimmings.
Wanting to combine the nostalgic with the unexpected in our holiday decor, we asked Boston-based florist Table & Tulip for a handful of nature-inspired creations, plus advice for ways to keep them looking their best all season long.
ADD A HOLIDAY ELEMENT TO EXISTING PLANTINGS
Add a bed of moss and red berries to an existing ornamental tree for instant holiday cheer. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa ImagesRed berries brighten up a boxwood. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa Images
We gave new life to these two boxwood trees flanking the front door by adding a touch of holiday red with a fresh underplanting of moss and berries.
DRESS UP A VINTAGE TREASURE
A classic wreath and red ribbon adorn this vintage family sled for the holidays. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa ImagesIs there a more classic Christmas decor combination than the cheerful red sled and white picket fence? Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa Images
This red wooden sled, which had been my grandfather’s when he was a boy, got a classic wreath and red ribbon to gussy it up for the holiday. I love it propped up against the fence as if it had been casually left there after an afternoon of sledding, making for some fun seasonal curb appeal and the perfect place for an impromptu holiday photo shoot.
Table & Tulip Tips: Bring out vintage items that you typically don’t get to enjoy, such as a sled, to give interest to a barren winter garden. Just make sure your item isn’t one that you’d be sad to see harmed by New England’s unpredictable and tough winters.
Suggested Materials: Sled, petite handmade edible wreaths for bird houses, old doors or shutters, vintage copper pots (as containers for plantings), garlands for garden gnomes and statuettes.
REPURPOSE YOUR SUMMER CONTAINER GARDEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Use berries, extra greenery, and pinecones to enliven empty summer planters. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa ImagesEvergreen cuttings and pinecones lend texture and height. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa Images
Our outdoor container garden had been hit hard by the first real frost of the season. To add seasonal interest, we updated the empty containers with berries, extra greenery, and pinecones.
Table & Tulip Tips: Owner and florist Andrea Halliday recommends using leftover tree trimmings, cuttings from the yard, and store-bought pinecones for texture and height.
Suggested Materials: German boxwood, dogwood, populus, winter berry and ilex, evergreens such as arborvitae, fallen birch bark (never peel from a tree), moss, and produce such as fresh apples and pears (nontropical).
BRING THE GREENERY INDOORS WITH AMARYLLIS AND PAPERWHITES
Group amaryllis and paperwhites together for visual interest. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa ImagesSelecting white doesn’t marry you to Christmas colors after New Year’s. Photo Credit : Alyssa Wood for Isa Images
An inexpensive holiday favorite, flowering bulbs can be found at many retailers during the yuletide. Our arrangement features amaryllis and paperwhites at different points of blooming so that it keeps its interest and beauty throughout the season.
Table & Tulip Tips: White amaryllis blooms are long-lasting – the bulb continues to put up stalks for months. Selecting white doesn’t marry you to Christmas colors after New Year’s, when it will still look good. Keep plants by a window to prevent them from growing too tall or flopping over.
Suggested Materials: Bulb plants and other winter plants such as cyclamen and hellebore (these appreciate cooler air, so drafty windows and doors are great backdrops); poinsettias and cypress trees (keep them well watered and away from cold air).
