They say we become wiser with age. Whether or not that’s true, it seems to me we should at least wise up enough to take advantage of life’s experiences. What has me pondering this issue is the tradition of decorating our homes for the holidays. As with any home project, this one has a tendency to become much more work and time intensive than we expect it to be. Like so much else in gardening, finding the process that suits you best is often a matter of trial and error.
Unlike building a shed or wiring a barn for electricity, when you decorate for the holidays you’re only halfway through the job when the decorations are in place. After the celebrating is over, everything has to come down again. With each passing year and with each new experience of holiday decorating, most of us do our best to learn from the past and make the current year’s job as efficient as possible. I do have a couple of suggestions that may help make the process less stressful and more enjoyable.
My first bit of advice is to approach the project from a pleasant perspective. For me, that means that I view the job as an extension of my gardening experience. I try to use what I have available in the garden as decorating material and I also choose materials that fit the season rather than only one specific holiday. Twinkling lights in the branches of deciduous trees that line the driveway are not limited to the month of December. Silver balls floating in a pond delight the eye at any time of year.
The perfect garden ornament for the winter home is evergreen plant material. Plants that remain green during the winter months, such as holly, cedar and juniper, have been used as decorations in the home since ancient times. During the dead of winter, the green boughs, branches and foliage serve as poignant reminders that spring will return. Consider using a mix of plant material that will look good beyond the holiday season. I do this because it allows me a longer grace period to take everything down before the next seasonal extravaganza.
Putting these materials together in different forms, such as garlands, swags and wreaths, still plays an important part in the transformation of our homes at holiday time. Hang a garland on the outside of a front window, on or over the doorway and all along the banister that leads to your front door. An architectural look that compliments a large wall is to hang a series of wreaths connected by a gently looping garland.
Add color to garden
This is still a great time of year to add color and plant life to the garden. Plant a winter window box with small evergreen shrubs, heathers and bulbs. When spring returns, transplant these into the garden. Although the winter solstice on December 21 makes the arrival of winter official, many are stuck in the mindset that winter brings gardening to an end for the year. Turn that thought around and begin to look for unique highlights of the season now that winter is upon us. There are whole groups of hardy evergreen grasses, shrubs and trees that can be planted any time the ground is not frozen. That time frame is virtually year-round in the Pacific Northwest. For many serious gardeners, these words are music to the ear.
Don’t forget that plants should be placed strategically in the garden for their seasonal highlights. There are many varieties of viola, which include Johnny jump-ups and winter pansies that thrive along with winter kale and assorted small evergreens. These are great for moveable pots and planters. Over time, the violas will self seed and establish small colonies of mixed colors. Their bright, cheerful faces light up at the slightest hint of winter sunshine. Stalks of autumn-glazed heavenly bamboo illuminate a winter flower border at this time of year.
Be extravagant with a garland suspended over an entryway. Bright, clear white lights illuminate a garden gate or archway into the night and fare well beyond the holidays.
Let your choice of plant material help you decide what new plants to put in the garden this spring. Add a variegated holly for foliage and red berries in years to come and definitely grow a groundcover thicket of our native salal. Use pinecones, bare deciduous branches and other natural ornaments to punctuate your interior designs.
With simple, elegant detailing, this type of decor will compliment your house and garden throughout the winter months.
Robb Rosser is a WSU-certified master gardener. Reach him at Write2Robb@aol.com
