Eliza Waters

Time to deck the halls, fa-la-la-la! By tradition, I decorate the front porch using the same containers every year, usually the week following Thanksgiving. There is only so much one can do with holiday evergreens, but I try to vary the ribbons and added decorations. 

Above is the basket that hangs under the porch light to the left of the front door. I used dried Annabelle hydrangea flowers (H. arborescens ‘Annabelle’) for the base and stuck in sprigs of Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) and holly (Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Princess’). Faux poinsettia bracts and a red cardinal complete the arrangement.

To the right of the front door, I place a wooden bucket filled with white pine, Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), ‘Blue Princess’ holly and winterberries (Ilex verticillata), finished with holly-themed ribbon.

Below is a little curiosity that I picked up at Trader Joe’s this weekend, an amaryllis bulb encased in wax and set in a coiled wire stand. According to the tag, it is maintenance free and will bloom without having to be watered. The only thing I have to do is turn it periodically, so it will grow evenly. What will they think of next? My spouse predicts it will get top heavy and topple, so it may have to go into a pot at some point. Time will tell.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In the Garden, who hosts a weekly meme to showcase arrangements created from our gardens. Wander over to see what gardeners all over the world are arranging this week.