On a recent shopping trip with friends to Roger's Gardens in Orange County, I checked out the wreaths on display.
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Most years I buy an inexpensive Christmas wreath from the local garden center or tree lot. Although they may have a few pine cones and a mix of greens, they're pretty plain.
But I always add my own touches, usually a bow and Christmas ornament odds and ends. This year, Sunset magazine featured wreaths with proteas and I thought maybe I'd use natural materials to embellish my wreath too (even if I didn't make the base from scratch). Loree of danger garden added Leucadendron to her tree and I thought that was a good idea, especially as I have several of these shrubs in my garden. I tucked in some Aeonium, Pennisetum setaceum and Heteromeles arbutifolia berries too.
Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' isn't as red as it was in summer or as yellow as it'll be later this winter but I was still pleased with the effect. And, despite our recent rain (another inch from the storms yesterday and last night!), the wreath has held up well in a largely unsheltered area. Do you use garden material to decorate for the holidays?
All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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| Wreath with Banksia - I thought the flowers were fake at first |
Most years I buy an inexpensive Christmas wreath from the local garden center or tree lot. Although they may have a few pine cones and a mix of greens, they're pretty plain.
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| This year's purchase, hung over the flagpole holder that came with the house |
But I always add my own touches, usually a bow and Christmas ornament odds and ends. This year, Sunset magazine featured wreaths with proteas and I thought maybe I'd use natural materials to embellish my wreath too (even if I didn't make the base from scratch). Loree of danger garden added Leucadendron to her tree and I thought that was a good idea, especially as I have several of these shrubs in my garden. I tucked in some Aeonium, Pennisetum setaceum and Heteromeles arbutifolia berries too.
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| My embellished wreath |
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| In addition to a bow I've reused for years, I added succulents, berries and grass plumes cut from my garden as shown in close-up here |
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| This close-up of the wreath's lower portion shows 2 varieties of Aeonium, stems of silvery Leucadendron 'Pisa' and cuttings of L. 'Wilson's Wonder' (I also used a few stems of L. 'Chief') |
Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' isn't as red as it was in summer or as yellow as it'll be later this winter but I was still pleased with the effect. And, despite our recent rain (another inch from the storms yesterday and last night!), the wreath has held up well in a largely unsheltered area. Do you use garden material to decorate for the holidays?
All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party