CHRISTMAS FOLIAGE
Plants to grow that are great for festive decorations
UNLIKE some shops and pubs (not to mention magazines), here at AG we didn’t start talking about Christmas in September – thank goodness. But with the festive period now fast approaching, we need to start thinking about wreaths, garlands and other decorations – and whether our gardens can produce the plant material to make our own.
The answer to that is yes, of course they can. We’re gardeners; given enough space, we can grow almost anything.
The great thing about growing your own Christmas foliage is that when you cut it, you know it’s fresh. Unlike shop-bought, which could have been hanging there for weeks and may start to look sad as soon as you leave the shop, home-grown will really last. It also means you can enjoy that ‘Christmas look’ outside as well as in – for an instant festive fix, try stringing red outdoor lights through variegated shrubs.
Then there’s the fact that you don’t have to depend on what the local florist decides to sell; you can grow the festive foliage you like. If you want holly with yellow berries, as well as red, then grow it – I can guarantee you won’t find any on sale in the shops, anywhere.
When cut for Christmas, foliage must be able to last well in low light, often without much water and in higher than outside temperatures. Spruce, pine and other large conifers work well, but they’re not going to find a place in small modern gardens (except in pots). A variegated, berry-bearing holly should fit in, though. It will look bright all year and you won’t spoil its looks by stealing a few branches from around the back.
There are also less obvious choices. In recent years the festive favourites of holly, ivy and conifers have been joined by an increasing range of colourful variegated euonymus, some small enough for windowboxes. Frosty colours have also become more popular, often in the form of silvery eucalyptus. And don’t forget that any bright-green evergreen foliage can be sparkled up with gold or silver spray.
So here’s the plan: buy Christmas foliage shrubs now and arrange them in their pots near the front door for the holiday season. Then plant them later, to provide cut material for years. Sorted.