Holly and Ivy

You don’t have to spend a fortune on live evergreen décor for the holidays.  You can use your own yard for resources and liven up any table centerpiece, or even fill your window boxes for the entire season.  I leave some soil in my window boxes and just stick live evergreen cuttings into the soil base.  It will freeze, but that’s the good part; you’ll have a beautiful winter interest for months to come.  When Spring brings the thaw, you just remove the dead greens and pitch them.

The same method would be used for interior design.  I mostly like to use white pine cuttings along with holly, spruce and even rhododendron leaves.  You can also add some inexpensive red carnations for some added interest.  I use low containers with shorter stems; a florist cube and you have a fine party centerpiece.

You can also take the long cuttings and use a tall vase, add bows or small ornaments for a festive take on a pricey florist creation.  The possibilities are endless.  My only word of caution is to be aware that live cuttings do have tree sap.  Keep that in mind.  Happy Holidays to all!