Christmas Greenery

[gardenmusic]

Just planning my Christmas decorations, as you do in May!
Last year I had my first attempt at adding fresh greenery to the decor, and loved it. Really just vases of shrubbery taken from the garden, so lots of green and ribbons. I would be grateful for any ideas, especially if you have found something that will last through the christmas holidays. Also any ideas for novel containers for the greenery. Thanks in advance.

Pootlepins,
After their bath, leave them to dry off thoroughly before draping anywhere important. Still have water marks on wallpaper...

ALovelyCupOfNameChange,
No, I haven't got a country basket, but you have reminded me that an independent wholesaler is closing down, if I am not too late I will take a look.

Good luck

I have been for a lovely walk along the cliffs this morning (glossing over the coffee and danish) and collected lots of pine cones. Plenty left for any wild life.

Once I have debugged them I am going to attempt to bleach some to go in a bowl. The others can join my pretend swags.
Anyone else collecting?

I have a enormous pottery jug - think an ice bucket for a champagne bottle. I filled it with branches I collected from the park after a strong wind. Eucalyptus over here so it droops very romantically. Then I bought small baubles and hung them over.

Gosh, it looked good.

Have you got any alliums in your garden? If you let them dry, then spray paint them silver or gold, they look great in arrangements, or you can chop the stem off and throw them at the Christmas tree, they stick on somehow and look great. Even better, if you have one of the really big ones, they look fab on the top of the tree.

I make these every year. Easy to collect from our own oak trees or out on walks.

I give them as gifts to hang on trees indoor and out or you can put them in a bowl or even make a garland.

https://rhythmsofplay.com/diy-rustic-acorn-marble-ornaments/?utmsource=pinterest&utmmmedium=social&utmcampaign=social-pug

You can buy the marbles on eBay or Amazon etc

I made a swag to hang on our front door last year and really liked it. It was very simple but effective. I had some left over foliage which I wondered what to do with and just decided to at the last minute.
It had some winter flowering honeysuckle so smelt lovely too.
I usually use sprigs of holly all over the house but never thought to soak it. I'll try that this year. I usually put the dried sprigs in the wood burner after 12th night as they burn really well.

Last year I used loads of eucalyptus and topped it up with spray painted twigs and red amaryllis that I grew from bulbs. Absolutely gorgeous!

TheSandgroper, I bet that looks lovely. I have a huge jug - wash stand type, so I can use that. I would love Eucalyptus, but I will have to buy it - none round here. I even bought a small plant with decor in mind, but it died.

Pootles34, That must be glorious!
No Aliums, but masses of hydrangeas, and I always dry some, and do the same thing. Also, cow parsley which grows just about everywhere here, when it is over, and the seeds gone there is a very fragile and ethereal looking skeleton left, I have sprayed those before. Not store-able though, too fragile.

TheHuntSyndicate, aren't they pretty!
I have never seen that before. My park is littered with those cups, because the squirrels eat the acorn and sling them on the ground.

longtompot lovely. Is that Rosemary I can see? I am overwhelmed with both Rosemary and Lavender, so I could have a go at that. My Rosemary often flowers in December...

WitchyBits I love Amaryllis, and always think I will have a go at growing it - is it indoors only? I fancy some in white to go with anything I can find that is dullish, sagey green.
Last year I saw some cut stems in M and S, and missed out. Growing it will certainly work out a bit cheaper.

That is so elegant! What a picture - much better than anything you could buy.

Does this sound stupid?
I have some mossy patches on a path, rather than keep clearing it up, could I utilise it for Christmas decor, do you think?
I was thinking about adding it to some terracotta pots that hold an unlit candle and some twiggy bits.
It's not sphagnum, it's the velvety kind.

@gardenmusic yes it does have rosemary in it too. I too have lots of it in the garden, but I'm trying out a new way of growing it by training it across my fence. So it's flat and fan shaped rather than a bush taking over the border. Hoping it will encourage more flowers and hide the fence.

Re the moss. You'd need to keep it damp as it gets a bit crispy when it dries out, but in theory it would look lovely.

longtompot, Thanks. I have a rosemary hedge and some prostratum that grows down a wall, rather than up. I didn't think of using the fan shapes, but that will work, too.
Bet the moss that I have been clearing up all year fails, now!

More Christmas brownery than greenery, but I have just put some fir cones in to bleach. Apparently they will not be white, but should turn light brown.
They are in a Kilner jar that doesn't close properly.
It says 12 hours on the blog, but I think it may need a little longer.

I am eyeing up my rosehips, I have some small red and some almost spherical green (soon to be red, I think)
I have read that I could pick a spray, remove the leaves and put it in a dark place to preserve it and use over Christmas, but they suggest picking in October.
In October, they will have gone to all the wildlife in my garden!
Has anyone tried preserving the hips at their best, which is now, in my garden?