Holiday Decorating: Retro Style!

There was a time when the halls were decked with boughs of holly! Merry-makers strung their trees with popcorn and cranberries, and yule logs made of real wood warmed the hearth.
As we try to reduce our use of plastic in daily life, it can be fun and satisfying to use natural materials in holiday decorations.

And, if you have a yard heavily planted with native plants, you’ll have plenty of ornamental material to choose from! The same plants that provide winter interest in our residential landscapes can add touches of natural beauty to holiday mantles, tables, vases, wreaths, and trees.

Three great native shrubs have been featured here with photos and information about their landscape use: American Holly, Winterberry, and Red Twig Dogwood (also called Red Osier Dogwood). All three also make great, long-lasting holiday decorations, and they don’t mind being pruned a bit for that purpose.

The bright red accents from these shrubs combine beautifully with evergreen foliage for holiday color schemes.

Horticulturists have been developing beautiful cultivars of Red Osier Dogwood that look great both in the landscape and in winter decorations. A cultivar called ‘Arctic Fire’ is a compact version that stays about 3 to 5 feet tall and has brilliant red stems. As strange as it seems, there are even yellow versions of Red Osier Dogwood! Yellow and golden cultivars bring winter interest to the landscape and a surprising burst of color to holiday decorations

Crabapples, Chokeberries, White Pine, and even Southern Magnolia are all American native plants that bring retro style to holiday arrangements. Try combining them with birch branches,
dried flower stalks, twigs, pine cones, nuts, and other “found objects” from your yard. The cones of the White Pine don’t even need artificial snow — they come naturally “flocked” in their own
pine sap!

Charming ornaments for your tree or centerpieces also can be made from natural elements found in the garden.

But don’t scavenge in protected areas for these ornamental plants. Parks and wooded areas need all of these treasures to provide food and habitat for birds, insects, and other animals. It’s much better to plant your own property with native plants to add beauty year-round. And if you leave native perennials standing at the end of the season, the dried flower stalks not only provide food for winter birds but also make great additions to your seasonal decorations!

So, take a pass on the latest plastic holiday décor and, instead, look around your yard! If you have lots of native plants, and leave your flower beds untrimmed, all you need is a little creativity to deck your halls as in days of yore.

One last thing: do leave some of those beautiful berries for the birds. They love the natural decorations on the outside of your house!

THIS BLOG IS AUTHORED WEEKLY BY CATHY LUDDEN, CONSERVATIONIST AND NATIVE PLANT EDUCATOR; AND BOARD MEMBER, GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER. FOLLOW CATHY ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND GARDENING TIPS @CATHYLUDDEN.

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