Holiday Decor from the Garden: Ideas and Inspiration

It is the time of year when you pull out the holiday decorations, untangle twinkle lights, and decide if you want to purchase that giant Santa you saw at the store. But wait! Before you make that purchase, consider using natural items and plants for decorations this year. Whether adding plants to the landscape, in a potted container, or using evergreen stems in cut foliage arrangements, we have some inspiration for you. To learn more about holiday decor from the garden, check out the Holiday Decor from the Garden episode of Your Central Florida Yard podcast.

Consider the following tips when using plants for holiday decor

When installing new plants, look for plants with winter interest
Look for colorful annuals to add interest near your front door, or where your guests enter your home
Plan your garden for interest year-round, or at least for the holiday season
Consider using containers so that you can easily move your colorful plants around your yard
Look for potted plants to use indoors
Use existing evergreen plants for interior decoration such as wreaths, table decorations, bouquets and unique gifts
Scavenge year round for seed pods, grasses, interesting leaves, pinecones

Decorate with Natural Items

Give the gift of plants or create a foliage and flower display from your yard

Use plants for your holiday color in the landscape

For more information, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at (863) 519-1041 or visit us online at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Give us a call or email us at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu.

If you are not in Polk County, Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic.

The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources and making that knowledge accessible.

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