Eco decorations?

[AriadneO]

Last year, in a bid to be more eco, we went for a potted Christmas tree that we could use over and over. Of course, it died despite our best efforts, so not so eco after all.

This year, I don't feel inclined to get a tree. A potted one will probably die again, a plastic one looks a bit rubbish (and we don't have much storage space), and a real one is wasteful. Where can we hang our Christmas decorations? Does anyone have any brilliant garland/Christmas decoration ideas? We have lots of indoor plants, but none particularly good for hanging things off.

Photo inspiration very welcome!

Thank you!

Something like this instead, perhaps?

In the past I have collected fallen branches and put them in a pot (weighted down and in by stones and rocks) and hung decorations off them. This year there is another branch waiting in the garage and I'm planning to hang it from the ceiling and decorate that.

I use twisted willow branches from my garden (like German Easter Egg trees) but you can buy them easily.

Thanks everyone! Especially the willow tip :)

I've been looking online for corkscrew willow branches but they're very expensive, or the postage is expensive.

If I had any pruned branches, I would offer to send them but I don't

If you have somewhere to store them or don't mind having them up undecorated all year, it is a one off cost, they last pretty much forever. You don't actually need that many... I arrange them splayed out to decorate so they take up a lot of space three dimensionally but I tie them together straight up to store them IYSWIM A bunch of 12 for £20 would probably be enough: www.worldofwillow.co.uk/details.aspx?p=158&c=21&cp=

My local florist sells them and I have seen them at garden centres. Even if they don't normally stock them, they will probably be able to order them from their wholesalers so that might save postage costs.

You could also try searching cheap home store places like Dunelm/Wilko, they sell them but they will probably call them decorative twigs or something else.

Alternatively, buy a living plant and plant in your garden in the new year and have an endless supply of branches. This is a decent size 5ft twisted hazel for £45 including delivery: www.primrose.co.uk/-p-129807.html?adtype=pla&kwd=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIio6u-KXv5QIVQuDtCh0pngyVEAQYBSABEgKDDfD_BwE
I would check that that don't prune them before delivery though...

Thanks, I'm thinking I will plant one, I love the branches so much, they do beautiful things with them in Germany!

Hobbycraft sell white trees which aren't too big to store.