Gone are the days when gardening was only a summer activity. With these outdoor decorating ideas for Christmas, gardeners can still get their fix while snow is on the ground. Christmas window boxes and planters provide a warm welcoming home front for the Christmas season and you may have most of what you need in your own backyard. You can always buy holiday greenery at your local greenhouse, but if you have a treed yard, dust off your clippers and see what you have available.
Steps for Decorating Christmas Window Boxes (Scroll to bottom for pictures and click to enlarge)
- Look for spruce, blue spruce, pine and mogul pines - anything that looks festive.
- Clip off some branches of various lengths and separate them into piles. Try and find some branches with pine cones attached as these will look great.
- Strip the branches of twigs or needles about three inches up the base of the branch; this will make it much easier to press into the dirt. Arrange greenery by pressing branches into the dirt until secure. You may need to loosen the dirt slightly. Keep a triangular shape in mind - tallest sprigs in the middle and at the back, smallest on the ends and at the front.
- For a final touch, get some sprigs of red berries or especially bold faux greens to get that pop of color (Michaels is great for this).
- Remember to put some berry sprigs at the back of the box, up against the window, so they look as impressive from the inside.
- You can also wind some dainty white outdoor lights amongst the bottom of the branches for a sparkling nighttime look.
- Once your arrangements are done, on a night the temperature is going below freezing, pour water into the dirt so it will freeze and hold everything in place firmly - only necessary in climates where the soil will not freeze on its own.
Believe it or not, snow is not a big issue for Christmas window boxes as being tight against the house protects them from the major snowfalls and you can brush off any excess. Plus, a fine dusting of snow just makes for that extra bit of holiday charm.
Steps for Making a Christmas Planter
- Once you have collected a variety of greenery sprigs, arrange them in separate piles.
- With your dirt-filled planter (you may need to loosen the dirt slightly), start in the center of the pot and press the tallest sprigs into the dirt and push down enough so they are secure. Make sure you strip the bottom three inches of the branch you are pressing into the dirt.
- From the center, work your way around to the edges of the pot making sure to alternate your sprigs so they look even. Place the tallest sprigs in the middle and the shortest or ones that dangle at the edges.
- Once you have a pleasing arrangement, add a few berry sprigs or especially colorful faux greens for some added color and pizazz.
- For a stunning nighttime display, add a sprig of lights to the center of your planter. These can be purchased at greenhouses such as Greenland Garden Center or Costco. To avoid issues with extension cords/electrical outlets, purchase a battery-operated light sprig.
- On a night the temperature is going below freezing, pour some water into the dirt so it will freeze and hold everything in place securely - only necessary in climates where it will not freeze on its own. In particularly dry weather, it is a good idea to use a spray bottle to spritz the arrangements with water to keep them looking fresh.
When it comes to snow and your Christmas planter, depending on where you live, of course, heavy snowfalls will weigh them down. Place them up close to the house or on your steps so they are under an overhang. If you have are decorating a window box under a small window, a brightly-colored wreath hanging in front of the window completes the display beautifully.
Decorating outside for Christmas is a fabulous way to enhance your home and neighborhood. With these Christmas decorating ideas for window boxes and planters, you can awe your guests with a minimum of effort and expense.
Lara Smith - is a freelance writer with a Bachelor of Arts in English, History and Religious Studies.
