You don't have to look far to see that Christmas is only a few weeks away. Decorating for the Christmas season is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Already you can see homes being decorated inside and outdoors.
Outdoor decorating can be as easy or elaborate as you want to make it. Hanging a wreath on the front door or placing a garland along the outdoor frame of the door is a good way to start.
An outdoor trend that is becoming very popular is outdoor holiday planters. The container is filled with an assortment of fresh greens, branches, berries and cones, and then finished off by adding bows, ornaments and signs. You can even add lights or lit branches to the arrangement for that extra touch.
Outdoor winter planters can be purchased already made up or you can create your own. When creating an outdoor planter, you need to find a container that is able to withstand outdoor, winter conditions. Many homeowners like to re-use their summer planters that held summer annuals. Fill your planter with enough soil so that when the greens are placed in the container they will stand upright. When using purchased fresh greens, re-cut the bottom ends of the branch/stem and remove any needles or small side branches that be below soil level. You can collect your own fresh greens from around the yard but be careful as you only want to take a couple of small branches per tree/shrub so that you don't harm the tree. Deciduous branches can also come from the yard/bush, but again, only use a few small branches.
When the planter is finished, give it a thorough water as this will keep greens fresh and once it is frozen it will keep the arrangement in place. If cared for properly, these outdoor planters can last for weeks.
Outdoor lighting is also a great way to 'light up' holidays or for year-round interest. You can add lights to deciduous trees, evergreens or to the house. A lit deciduous tree is very beautiful. Start at the base of the tree and wrap lights around the trunk. Then wrap lights up and down the main branches of the tree. When wrapping lights around the trunk or branch you want to make sure that they are snug enough to stay on the tree, but not too tight as it can damage the tree. Securing the lights to the tree with zap straps or velcro strips works well. Trunks and branches that are wrapped in lights should have the lights removed by spring or the tree can be damaged. As the tree grows the lighting wire will tighten around the trunk and branches, cutting off the vascular system which transports the tree's nutrients and water from the tree's roots up to the rest of the tree.
If putting lights on evergreens, the lights are wrapped loosely around the trunk and/or hung on the branches, causing less problems with cutting off circulation. When hanging lights on trees you want to be careful not to damage the tree or branches. Breakage wounds are open to disease, decay and the elements. If a branch is partially or completely torn off and there is no hope of restoring it, it is best to cut it off to the nearest branch or trunk of the tree. Make a smooth cut in healthy wood and make the cut flush with the trunk or branch/crotch. Remove any ragged edges by smoothing them with a sharp knife.
Sometimes we don't have to do much decorating, as Mother Nature does a great job with winter decorating, especially after a snowfall or when we experience hoar-frost. By planting a few shrubs with good winter interest to the landscape all we have to do is sit back and enjoy. Burning bush is an attractive shrub especially in winter as the winged branches catch the snow.
Other shrubs with attractive winter branches include corkscrew hazel with its shiny, curly-shaped branches, and red and yellow twigged dogwood which is very colourful against the white snow.
