Holiday Decorations From The Garden
I've mentioned pine cones. Without them, my Yule decorations would be incomplete. My Mom gave me, years and years ago, several bags of enormous cones and I've collected smaller ones over the years. The long narrow cone in the image is a fir cone - quite neat. In addition to putting them on the mantle, I fill baskets and pottery bowls with them.
I've also got yards of smaller cones, connected together by string and wire, that are integral parts of the swags I make every year. I store the strings in individual plastic grocery bags, tied by the handles. This makes it easier to use them because they have a bad habit of tangling themselves up.
I've also got several bunches of larger cones, wired together, for use in the centers and at the corners of swags. Wiring cones is a prickly business...doing it once is quite enough.
I recently read an interesting factoid about using cones for wreaths. It recommended tying wire around the cones as tightly as possible at their base and then soaking them in very hot water, which causes them to close up. While still wet, they are wired to the wreath frame. When the wreath dries, the cones expand again, filling any little voids and spaces. I intend to try this.
The dried heads of Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' are the primary dry ingredient in my arrangements. Depending on when you harvest and dry the heads, the colors will range from pale green to dark brown with a wide range in between. While I gather some each year, I keep those that are still intact when I take down the decorations. These are stored in big bags over summer.
When you harvest, keep long stems because you will need them to insert the heads in the swags. You can always break off a too long stem, but it is a royal pain to have to try to lengthen one.
Tools and Supplies
In addition to green and dried materials, you'll need some tools and supplies.
A little organization helps. I put my swags together in the room they are going to occupy. So, the first step is to clear a good sized bit of floor space. This I cover with an old sheet, because working with greens and dried material is messy - no two ways about it. Since I'm on
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