5 Tips To Keep Your Christmas Greens FRESH LONGER

5 Tips To Keep Your Christmas Greens FRESH LONGER
freshgreensfgh Evergreens have long brought freshness to wintertime, with their delightful scent and bright green color. Whether you live in a grand Victorian home or a small, romantic cottage, the allure of fresh greens continues to enchant us, don't they? Keeping them looking lush and beautiful is not that easy, though. Here are my five BEST TIPS for for keeping your fresh holiday greens alive and luxurious longer. 2016mantellivingroomfgh Greens are not just pretty, they are often free for the taking {clipping.} Most of these photos are from a magazine feature I wrote for the holiday issue of Victorian Homes Magazine this year. decemberwreath A variety of flowers and greenery will bring the fragrance of winter inside, as well as visual enchantment to your holiday home. Eucalyptus, juniper, holly, ivy, mistletoe, pine, rosemary all are beautiful twined into garlands, to layer over mantels, paintings and bookcases. keepgreensfresh I love how my antique silver trays look when I add just a light layer of greens, clipped from the garden, and layered with fresh branches of eucalyptus. You could do this at home with any greens you can clip from your garden or neighborhood! A little natural touch like this is all you need to bring out the magic of the holidays at home. keepgreensfreshangel I tend to use a combination of fake faux intertwined with fresh greens for the larger greens arrangements such as garlands, as it's very dry here where I live in California in December. But all fresh would be my first choice. greensmantel1 Crowned with rose leaves and fresh eucalyptus, the mantel in the guest room invites the eye to linger. I started this look off by putting down a slender faux garland, then tucking in branches eucalyptus and small sprigs of pine. holidayguestroom3 Small swags created from more clippings are tied up with silk chartreuse bows to decorate the candle sconces on each side of the gilded mirror. Since we have an orange tree in the garden, I often use oranges on mantels and buffets. But apples, pears, or pomegranates would look just as stunning! fghholidaycherub1 MY TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR EVERGREEN SWAGS AND DECORATIONS FRESH: 1. CHOOSE NATIVE: Use greens that are native to your area, they will last longer. Some long lasting evergreens that are perfect for holiday swags and arrangements:
  • Boxwood
  • Douglas fir
  • Balsam fir
  • Fraser fir
  • Noble fir
  • Scotch pine
2. GO FRESH. Make sure the branches, swags and wreaths you purchase or cut look bright green, and that there's not a lot of needle loss when you pick them up. The branches should be bendable, smell fresh, and look lush. If there are a lot of needles falling off, look for another branch. 3. BATHE THEM. Soaking your ever greens before use is a great way to give them the best possible start! I soak mine in our bathtub {!} for a full 24 hours, then let them dry off outside before using. The exception to the bathing rule is eucalyptus, since they dry to a beautiful, papery sage green color, but I do keep them "fresh cut" in a deep bucket in water for 24 hours before using. 4. MIST. Mist your greens lightly with a fine mist of water, every few days if the area where they are displayed isn't too warm, daily if you live in California or other warm states like I do. By lightly, I mean lightly, there should not be water dropping on your floor. The mist should be fine, and give your greens a tiny drink of moisture. Be sure that if you, like I often do, combine fresh with faux flowers and berries, that you do not get those wet. dripping mess. runny colors. take it from me! {note to self...pay attention during the busy month of December.} 5. APPLY ANTI-TRANSPIRANT. You can buy special sprays that are made especially for extending the life of evergreens, which reduces the amount of moisture loss through needles. Most florists soak their wreaths and greens in buckets of this, you can buy a spray and apply it yourself. Wiltpruf is one brand that I've used, I love that it's a natural pine oil emulsion that is organic, non-hazardous and biodegradable. pinterestgreens

Happy Decorating!

Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the GiveAway! segretogiveaway WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE GREENS FOR CREATING GARLANDS AND SWAGS?

21 comments

Love all those greens that bring a special touch to all the bright colours. Even a little bouquet of a few rosemary sprigs in a vintage jug in the kitchen adds such a festive flair!

noreen
« Previous 1 2 3

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.