Blog: Pagan influenced, easy and FREE even for the clueless florist
Plastic arrangements are a bad thing in my book and this year I have had time to create a winter garden foliage arrangement from my plants.
I’ve been reading a lot about Northern European folklore and pre-Christian beliefs lately – pagan if you like. In these troubled times, it seems rather comforting to be more at one with nature. There are lots of plants associated with Christmas, Yule and the winter solstice. For more information, see my plant-by-plant guide to perk up your spirits.
Winter garden foliage arrangement – I’m hopeless!
I am no flower arranger and favour the ‘pick up and dump’ method. Please excuse the tattiness, but I think neatness isn’t the point here. You’re bringing a bit of the outside in to celebrate midwinter and the onset of days getting longer. There’s nothing tidy about December in my garden!
The ingredients in my vases all come from the garden and all foliage and fruit-based – plain berried ivy, rose hips, Nordmann fir offcuts from the tree and three types of variegated holly – Silver Queen, Golden King and Lawsoniana.
Handy Eucalyptus
The other addition is Eucalyptus gunnii, not traditional, but very available at this time of year and an excellent space filler, using either the sparse older leaves or the new, round foliage.
I’ve also used old glittery twigs, pine cones and papier-mache pomegranates I’ve had for 25 years (they have a Christmas connection too) and small mistletoe lights. One downside – Gary was furious that I messed up the kitchen with the garden. He didn’t appreciate my going back to nature style!
