How to Create Beautiful Winter Arrangements

As fall is coming to an end, it can be really hard to say goodbye to the annual flowers that bring so much interest and color to the front of your home. The dreary late fall and winter is difficult without pops of color in your landscape. Northern Michigan’s gray winter season can be made more tolerable with plantings that put on a show all year long, including evergreens.

Planning to hold any holiday gatherings? A great way to spruce up the outside of your home and bring some color back is by adding winter arrangements into your container gardens. It is time to get creative, and put together some bright, colorful, showstopping arrangements to last long through the holiday season!

Hunting for Supplies

Winter arrangements can be made for very little to no cost. Before purchasing anything, look around your own landscape for materials you could use. Common plants in Michigan are boxwood, junipers, or really any evergreen. For color and interest, red twig dogwood, birch branches, curly willow and branches, seed pods, cones, dried hydrangea, and pussy willows are great solutions.

Checking out your local Christmas tree farm is a great option if you do not have many evergreens on your property. They typically limb up their evergreens and may be willing to give you the trimmings for free!

In addition to what can be found around the outside of the home, many craft stores have an enormous supply of things to add to make the arrangement stand out. “Fake” versions of berries and curly branches can be purchased for little cost. Adding lanterns with a candle, ornaments, or even Christmas lights can brighten up any arrangement as well.

Remember Texture and Color

Even though all evergreens are ‘green’ at heart, many have different hues to them some yellow and others blue. Mixing different shades of green catch visitor’s eyes just as much as a pop of color. Evergreens also have a huge variety of textures to consider- soft, rigid, sharp, wispy, etc.

Varying the texture of objects you choose gives an arrangement some uniqueness. Just like annual arrangements, having a ‘thriller’ (tall plant) in the middle is a great idea for any winter planting.

Final Winter Arrangement Considerations:

• Water your arrangement until it ‘freezes’.
• Before making your arrangement soak your container with water
• Select a container that is not going to crack or break in the cold temperatures of Northern Michigan winter.
• If you are struggling with branches falling over, try taking the soil down by 4” and inserting a carefully cut foam piece to stick branches into.

Looking for help creating winter arrangements in Grand Traverse or Leelanau County, MI? If so, meet with our team of experts, choose a solution to improve your property, and get ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy your beautiful outdoor space.