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Before we jump into this week's article, we want to express how grateful we are to all of you for making us a part of your gardening year. It's been a pleasure to see familiar faces throughout the season, as well as to meet brand new gardeners and first time visitors. No matter how much or how little you know about plants, we love growing with you!
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As the days grow crisp, we transform Hoerr Nursery into a winter wonderland filled with one-of-a-kind gifts, decor, fresh cut Christmas trees, custom Christmas arrangements, and bundled Christmas greens.
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Have you ever browsed past our holiday displays of fragrant greens, crates of pine cones and brightly colored dogwood twigs and thought, "I'd love to do something with all of this, but I don't know where to start?"
This article is for you!
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Create a fresh outdoor arrangement in seven steps
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Before you begin, find an area to work that will be easy to sweep up afterward.
Gather your supplies. You'll find everything you need in stock at Hoerr Nursery!
Materials:
A container, suitable for use outdoors
Newspaper
Soil
Mulch
Gloves
Garden sheers
Decorative elements, such as berries, twigs, ribbon and pine cones
Assorted evergreen boughs
(Hint: our farm fresh bundles are a great way to get started if you don't feel confident picking out your own mix!)
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1. Wear gloves to protect your hands from pitch. If you do get sap on your hands, use either hand sanitizer or cooking spray and a paper towel to clean it off.
2. Line your chosen container with newspaper.
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You can build your arrangement inside of a decorative container, or use a plastic insert and set it inside once you're finished. This is a great way to get more out of planters that were used to display annuals, such as pots, hanging baskets, window boxes or urns.
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3. Fill the pot with soil. Note that this doesn't have to be quality soil- it's only acting to hold the greens in place. If the container already has soil in it, go ahead and use that. Layer mulch on top to retain water.
4. Begin with an upright, stiff center branch such as yew or spruce. Trim off the lower twigs if it's bushy all the way to the bottom, and stick it into the soil. If you intend to display the arrangement where it will be seen from all sides, put the central branch in the center of the container. If you’re going to put the arrangement against a wall, position the branch at the back of the pot.
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5. Select four shorter pieces that have structure, such as yew, pine, fir or spruce. Stick them into the soil so that they angle outward, pointing north, south, east and west. It's fine to mix and match the type of greens that you use.
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6. Fill in between the five key branches with short, bushy material such as boxwood, arborvitae, or juniper. Aim for texture and color contrast.
7. Add colorful accents at the front of your arrangement, such as berries or seasonal decorations. These can be changed out to transition the arrangement from Thanksgiving to Christmas to winter. Below is a great example of a harvest-themed arrangement.
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Optional finishing touches:
-Add upright twigs such as birch or dogwood at the back or center of your arrangement, depending on where you positioned the central branch. These should be taller than your central branch. (You can spot both birch branches and curly willow in the arrangement on the right above.)
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- Add pine cones. You can tuck them into the arrangement where you want them to sit, or you can wire them in place. Loop a piece of wire around the base of each cone, and then twist the ends of the wire together. At left, three pine cones and a bow are wired to a stick.
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You can see how this looks from the front in the purple-themed porch pot pictured at right.
The final touches are where you really get to make your arrangement your own! This custom pot features beautyberry and lavender-tinged hydrangea.
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-Finish your arrangement with a color-coordinated bow. If bow-tying isn't your thing, we can create one for you at the ribbon counter.
Once you're satisfied with your creation, wet the soil thoroughly. This will keep the greens hydrated, and it will secure them in place when it freezes overnight.
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If you'd rather pick up one of our finished arrangements than create your own, come in an browse our selection of custom porch pots.
Either way, if you keep it outside all winter, your outdoor evergreen arrangement will last until spring!
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Want to design an indoor arrangement with fresh greens? You can watch Ella demonstrate her technique in this video:
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Fresh Baked Treats
from Breaker's Dozen Bakery
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We're pleased to announce that Breaker's Dozen will join us again this year on December 4th from 10am-2pm to offer their delicious fresh baked goods. You know you want some, so put it on your calendar, and be sure to stop in!
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On Sale Now
While Supplies Last!
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6" Poinsettias - $9.99 each
Spring Bulbs - 40% off*
Houseplants - 50% off or prices as marked
Compact Burning Bush - 40% off
*excludes holiday Amaryllis and Paperwhites
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