How to decorate your Christmas tree (Image: Getty)
If you’re tired of plastic baubles and glitter shedding from your Christmas tree onto your hands and floor, consider embracing natural elements for your festive decor this year.
Instead of traditional trinkets, why not opt for charming flowers, green foliage, or indoor plants to give your Christmas tree a unique touch?
Besides being eco-friendly, these natural decorations can be significantly cheaper than their expensive, non-biodegradable counterparts. Looking for inspiration?
Here are some suggestions….
Incorporate houseplants right into your Christmas tree arrangement, provided they’re not excessively large. Position them around the tree’s base to conceal any stand or nestle the potted plants amongst the branches for a striking look.
Rebecca Stanton, stylist at Dobbies Garden Centres, remarks: “Bulking out Christmas trees with real and foraged foliage has been on the rise for a few years now, but this year’s trend takes it a step further by using real houseplants to create bursts of seasonal colour among branches for a truly unique effect.”
“For a dramatic and fragrant display, combine foliage such as eucalyptus with vivid houseplants like the eye-catching anthurium. This fusion will help you craft a gorgeous, natural exhibition thats a delightful departure from conventional lights and baubles.”
For those eager to follow this trend, she provides a detailed guide to decorating your tree with houseplants:.
1. When you get your pot-grown or freshly cut tree home, place it strategically away from any direct heat and identify potential spaces within the tree to accommodate your houseplants.
2. Select your preferred houseplants, ensuring they are in small, lightweight pots that can be easily nestled into the tree’s branches.
3. Prior to positioning your houseplants in the tree, water them thoroughly in the sink to maintain their hydration, allowing the water to fully drain out.
4. Begin arranging the pots in the tree, securely nestling them in the branches and making sure they stay upright.
If the pots require additional support, you can fasten them to the tree’s branches with floristry wire or twine.
5. Once all your houseplants are arranged in the tree, incorporate foraged foliage such as eucalyptus for added texture and interest, using the stems to fill any gaps.
6. To complete your botanical Christmas tree look, arrange some succulents, ferns and trailing ivy at the base of your tree in colourful pots.
You can also wrap some twinkling lights around your pot or tree skirt to light up the display and add a festive touch.
7. Throughout December, monitor your houseplants and if they need watering, carefully remove them from the tree to do so, returning them to the display once all water has drained out.
You can also mist your display throughout the month to provide a hydration boost, and of course, ensure your tree is regularly watered.
Foliage and flower stems.
If you’re not confident enough to include houseplants, or don’t have them in your home, foliage and flower stems are a good alternative.
Chris Waugh, a florist at Bloom & Wild, advises: “Try adding foliage and flower stems amongst the tree’s branches, to fill in any gaps and add an extra something. Stems that will dry out naturally would work best, like hypericum berries, rosemary, poppy seed heads, baby’s breath (gypsophila) and sea lavenders (statice).”
Incorporating herbs into your Christmas tree can be both visually appealing and fragrant. Evergreen herbs such as rosemary or dried lavender tied into small bunches can be nestled deep within the branches, releasing their aromatic scent throughout the festive season.
Leaves, dried fruits, and cones can also enhance your tree’s aesthetic. Judith Blacklock, an award-winning florist and founder of the Judith Blacklock Flower School, which offers festive-themed courses, recommends creating garlands from fallen leaves on thin wire and spraying them gold for a touch of glamour.
Blacklock suggests adorning your tree with dried fruit slices like oranges, scented cones that can be wired on, and bundles of cinnamon sticks tied with hessian ribbon for a rustic charm.
“One of my favourite ideas is to take branches of deciduous holly (Ilex verticillata) and push the stem ends towards the base of the tree, so that you have colour and interest not just at the ends. The stems are strong and long lasting and come in red and orange,” she adds.
For an attractive finish, Blacklock recommends using bundles of dried flowers, particularly when they’re wrapped in striking ribbon. Dried hydrangea heads also make for dramatic additions to a Christmas tree and can easily be sprayed in your chosen colour.