Trim Your Porch for the Holidays with Plant Cuttings from Your Yard

Christmas is fast approaching, and if you’re like the many last-minute shoppers and decorators rushing to get everything done before the big day, this post is for you. We’ll discuss some quick and easy ways to decorate your front porch or steps, using plants from your own yard.

In the picture above (click to enlarge), we feature an urn with spruce tops and white pine trimmings, as the base, with paper birch and red twig dogwood branches, winterberry sprays, magnolia leaves, and pinecones, to add color and interest. Don’t feel limited to the items used in this display – take a look in your own yard for ideas. Be creative!

After you choose the urn or pot for your display, use a plastic liner that is one inch smaller, to prevent cracking as temperatures fluctuate. Fill it with rigid foam to secure the materials. Start with a base of bulky, larger trimmings, such as different types of pines, to start to shape the display. You could even use an evergreen wreath around the top of the urn, as a base, and work up from there.

Next, add in your smaller, contrasting, and colorful elements, sporadically, until it seems well balanced. Use wire to hold items such as pinecones, in place. String some white lights through the arrangement, and add some decorative items or hardy ornaments, for the finishing touches. Finally, using an anti-desiccant spray, such as Wilt-Pruf, will keep your display looking fresh by preventing moisture loss.  

While one pot will make an impression, try using groupings of two or more, for an even bigger impact. Flank a walkway with coordinated urns, or group different size urns of similar shapes and colors. Use the same materials in each, but in new ways, to tie it all together.

It’s not too late to have a beautiful, festive entranceway, just in time for Christmas!