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There is nothing more cheering than a display of flowers at Christmas. Fill a large open weave basket with autumn greenry, berries and blooms from your garden and house for an attractive table display. Place a block of pre-soaked "green" oasis in the bottom of the basket and simply cover with all the flowers and greenery, working from the highest point in the centre to lower and over hanging sprays at the edge. The pictured display contains hypericum and viburnum berries and the yellow Chinese lantern lily (Sandersonia aurantiaca) - to make a sumptuous cut flower display. |
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One of the most delightful traditions at Christmas is to hang a wreath on your door. This wreath is packed with all manner of evergreen foliage, berries, nuts, fruit and pine cones. Collecting the materials for your wreath is a lovely way to occupy young children during the Christmas holidays. Select different varieties of evergreen to add contrasting colours and textures. We have chosen golden Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Lutea' and blue grey fir, Abies lasiocarpa arizonica 'Glauca', but any variety of evergreen or fir will work. The basis is a 16in plastic ring filled with florists Oasis, moist but not saturated, to avoid water pouring down the door. Presoak and prop on its side to drain overnight. Wrap the frame with a 3in bandage of thin plastic - a dry cleaners bag is ideal. Make a hanging ring by covering thick florists wire with floral stem tape. Twist into a loop and fix the ends firmly round the top of the frame. Divide the ingredients on a table. Wire fruit with a stout hairpin or florist's wire. Work in the greenery you have chosen, working in a circular pattern around the wreath to give balance. Secure the fruit and press any protruding pins or wire ends into the foam. Bunches of crab apples, pine cones or clusters of nuts are ideal. Aim to cover the whole wreath leaving no patches of Oasis showing. Add a bright, festive ribbon trailing from the bottom and tie into a decorative bow to hid the hanging loop at the top. A gentle misting with water will help refresh the wreath and you will find you are reluctant to abandon it on Twelfth Night. |
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