Decorate with Fresh Greenery

Holiday favorites such as wreaths, swags, garlands, kissing balls and centerpieces bring a touch of the indoors into your home. Most of these arrangements can be made yourself from greenery found in the your yard or local garden center. For example you can take eucalyptus tree leaves and rosemary stems and weave them into a bundle of foliage to shape an aromatic wreath with a rich holiday fragrance and style.

When it comes to fresh decorations, there is no limit to how you can shape and adorn a piece of greenery to add appeal to your home during the holiday season. Decorating with wreaths, trees and other greenery is a very big part of the holiday tradition particularly because of their holiday scent and natural appeal. The great thing about decorating with natural greenery is that you don’t need to be elaborate, simple holly sprigs and branches from a Christmas tree adorned with a bow make nice accent pieces.

Here are some great tips to greening your home for the holidays:

Keeping it fresh

Fresh greenery can last from several weeks to several months, depending on the variety and how well it’s maintained. The trick to longevity is keeping moisture on the stem and foliage by spraying it regularly with water or an anti-transpirant.

Welcoming Wreaths

Wreaths are symbolic for welcoming someone into your home, which is why it is always a good idea to hang one on your front door and in your windows. They are commonly made with sprigs of white pine, holly, hemlock, or red cedar. To create a personalized look, you can add mixed greenery, bows, pinecones and fruit in colors that complement you home’s décor. For something truly green and scented use fresh rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, accented with red berries. The kitchen is a great place to hang a wreath made from natural cooking greenery.

Swags and Garland

Swags and garlands are used to drape a home with holiday cheer both inside and out. They are great to outline a front door, porch, fence, staircase and fireplace.

Kissing Balls

Kissing balls are a far more decorative alternative to mistletoe sprigs and can be decorated with ribbons, berries and mistletoe. You can hang them from a doorway or windows.

	When it comes time to choosing your greenery keep in mind that pines, firs and cedars are great for indoor decoration because they take longer to dry out, so you can enjoy them through most of the holiday season. Hemlock, spruces and most broadleaf evergreens last longer if you use them outdoors. Preserved leaves of ivies, eucalyptus, boxwood, beech, camellia, oak and rhododendron work great in decorations and add color. You can use them both indoors and out. If you want to add nighttime curb appeal to your greenery, consider adding small white lights to your wreaths, garland or swags.