Botanical Christmas Decor: Fresh Ideas with Greenery, Plants, and More!
Fresh greenery is essential to vibrant and authentic holiday decor, both outdoors and inside. Here are five simple and stunning ways to decorate for the holidays using natural botanical elements that are easy to obtain if you don’t already have them around the house. Let’s start with outdoor decorations and work our way inside.
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1. Instant Winter Container Garden: Perfect Porch Decor
Freshly cut “tabletop” Christmas trees make beautiful centerpieces for outdoor container gardens. These trees are often sold at grocery and big box stores from Thanksgiving through Christmas; they range in price from about $15 to $30. Here’s how to use them to create a festive winter planter:
Remove the tree from its stand and place it in a pot filled with damp, densely packed potting mix.
Add cut evergreen boughs (such as Fir, Balsam, Cedar, and Boxwood) around the perimeter.
Embellish with pine cones, berry picks, bows, cones, and ornaments that coordinate with your holiday theme.
Wrap the tree in lights for extra charm.
To keep your greenery fresh, spray with Wilt-Pruf plant protector and water the potting mix deeply once a week throughout winter. These arrangements can last well beyond the holidays—mine made it through Valentine’s Day last year! Watch here and here to see how I do it.
create Instant Curb Appeal
Fresh cut tabletop trees are the perfect centerpieces for winter container gardens. Add lights and velvet for sparkle and warmth.
Pro Shopping Tip:
The tabletop trees you’ll find at grocery stores are usually around 36-40” tall and take up an entire cart. Take a photo of the tree’s tag when you arrive, and show it to the cashier when you check out. After loading your groceries, go back to pick up your tree. Empty any water from the stand before putting it in your car, and either stand it upright or lay it flat for transport.
2. Grapevine Wreaths Complete the Look of Evergreens in Pots
Evergreens provide year-round beauty in container gardens, and they’re especially lovely during the holidays. Enhance them with grapevine wreaths:
Choose a wreath that fits over the edge of the pot.
Position it so the evergreen hangs slightly over the wreath for a polished look.
For recommendations on the best evergreens for container gardens, check out this guide.
3. Traditional Topiaries Get a Finishing Touch
When it comes to bringing fresh botanicals indoors, I’m always drawn to topiaries. They add timeless elegance to interior decor at the holidays and throughout the year. A single topiary or a cluster of three can create height and interest without overwhelming your space. For a festive touch:
Plant small Myrtle topiaries in terra cotta planters with saucers.
Add petite bows made of vintage velvet ribbon for a sophisticated finish.
These make stunning centerpieces for holiday gatherings and will thrive in sunny windows (far from heating vents) between events. If topiaries aren’t available to you, this approach works with any houseplant, including ferns, ficus, and philodendron.
Velvet Bows Add a Festive Touch to Topiaries
A simple bow in frayed velvet instantly dresses these Myrtle topiaries for the holidays.
4. Modern Take on Dish Gardens
Shop any greenhouse, garden center, or big box store around the holidays and you’re sure to find an array of petite Poinsettias in tiny pots from 2-4” in diameter. The current range of colors is exquisite — fuschia, salmon, speckled, clear white, etc. — and perfect for creating festive dish gardens. Try mixing them with trailing ivy for an elegant, layered look:
Choose a low container with a solid bottom.
Add a layer of rocks or Drain Smart discs for drainage.
Keep small Poinsettias and ivy in their plastic pots and position them the container.
Add fresh or dried moss to fill gaps and camouflage the edges of the plastic pots.
Place your dish garden on a coffee table or countertop, or use it as a centerpiece—just keep it away from curious pets.
5. DIY Dried Orange Slices for a Homespun Touch
This simple and charming craft is perfect for all ages. Dried orange slices add a natural, rustic touch to wreaths, trees, and garlands. Here’s how to make them:
Slice oranges evenly and lay them flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a mandolin for the most uniform slices.
Bake at 200°F for about 6 hours, or until completely dried. (Blot excess liquid before baking to speed up the process.)
Use them to decorate wreaths, string them into garlands, or display them in a bowl for a simple, festive touch.
Why Add Fresh Botanical Elements to Your Holiday Decor?
Incorporating freshly cut greenery, live plants, and botanical embellishments in our holiday decor helps connect us to nature and even reduce stress. These elements are also more sustainable than artificial greenery, and there’s nothing like the smell of fresh cut Fir and Balsam at Christmas time. I’d love to hear how you decorate with botanicals for the holidays!
Warm regards,
Steph