Flowers For The Holidays
Cut flowers, flowering plants, greens, pine branches all add to the holiday fare. The house comes alive and smells like Christmas. What kinds and how to display and arrange them are worth planning before you rush out to buy.
For The Mantelpiece
1. Arrange pine branches across the shelf so they overlap and hang over the edge slightly. No matter how haphazardly you arrange them they will look great. Furthermore, the room will smell wonderful.
2. Next, add small silver and gold Xmas balls here and there amongst the boughs. Wrap small jewelry boxes with silver or gold paper and tie with lace ribbons. Arrange these on the pine branches as well.
3. Or, for a country theme, wrap the boxes with plaid taffeta and use bright red or green satin ribbons. Insert a tiny sprig of pine needles under each bow tie.
4. Add pine cones in various sizes.
5. For sparkle, arrange a garland of tinsel or tiny tree lights in and around the greens. For a country theme, use a garland of cranberries.
Poinsettias
These plants are carefree, last a long time and always say "Christmas". Buy several in different sizes and group them for impact in a hallway or on a side table. If you use them as a dining table centerpiece, arrange red tapered candles in tall candlesticks along with the plants.
Line a large, country style basket with plastic to hold several individual plants. Add Spanish moss (available from a florist) over the top of each pot. This will make them all uniform and appear as though they'd been planted in the basket. Set the basket on the floor next to the fireplace.
Basket Of Greens
Large, full arrangements of greens look best in country baskets. I often sponge paint the surface of a basket for added interest. This is easy to do. You will need a flat, even-weave basket. It might have a handle on which you can later add a decorative bow. Spray paint the outside with white Krylon, fast-drying paint. Using a piece of sponge dab green acrylic paint at random all over the basket.
Flowering Basket
Decorate a basket with a pretty flower cut from fabric. Glue the cutout onto the front of the basket so that it molds to the weave. Let it dry. Add more flowers if desired. Fill the basket with Eucalyptus and Baby's Breath for a delicate, country arrangement.
Clear and Dramatic
Fill glass bowls or tall white vases with a dozen or more all red or all white tulips. Don't combine them with anything and use them everywhere. You can't overdo a good thing.
Grow Your Own
Paperwhites are also refreshing. You can grow them right now and florists often have kits complete with the shallow pot, soil, pebbles and bulbs. It's a cinch to create this lovely breath of spring in winter. Simply fill the pot with soil; place the bulbs on top and surround with the pebbles. Soak the soil with water and the bulbs do the rest. You can almost watch them grow. I like 3 pots placed in a row along the back of a kitchen counter, down the center of a breakfast table or lined up on a windowsill. Create a miniature holiday scene around the base of the pots, using tree toys such as a teddy bear, houses, blocks, a sled, whatever you can find. After the holidays you can still enjoy the plants.
Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.