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Dec 2011  |  By Jennifer Brennan, Horticulture Information Specialist, Chalet | Paid Advertisement  |  Comments

Evergreen Winter Containers

Our Pagan ancestors used evergreens to decorate their homes to make them more inviting to the traveling spirits who were escaping the harsh winter conditions.

In modern times, we use evergreens as part of our Holiday traditions.  The green and fragrant effect helps to bring the dormant outdoors back to life in and around our homes.

The Evergreen Winter containers are designed to remain outside all winter to decorate your containers. Being outdoors is similar to storing fresh greens in a refrigerator, preserving them. Spraying with an anti-transpirant, like the Pine resin based Wilt-Pruf, keeps them from drying out and dropping their needles. The idea is to place 3-6 different evergreens in an arrangement to contrast the textures and colors. Accent with red twig dogwood, pine cones and winter berry for a beautiful display all winter.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients for outdoor evergreen winter containers:

• Spruce tops, small or medium
• White pine tips
• Noble fir tips
• Port Orford Cedar
• Blueberry juniper
• Incense Cedar
• Winterberry & Redtwig dogwood

Other tools needed:

• Top soil, placed in container and watered
• Polyurethane container
• Pruning shears
• Wire cutters
• Wilt-Pruf

Step by step directions:
1.    Select a spruce top that is twice the height of your container and insert into the middle of the container.
2.    This is your “template”, the basic form of your arrangement.
3.    Select 5 white pine cuttings to insert through out the spruce top foliage for texture and color variation.
4.    Add 3-5 Noble fir tips
5.    Accent with 3-5 Port Orford cedar tips for an arching soft shape and for the lemon scent it provides.
6.    Place 3-5 Incense cedar tips throughout the arrangement to accent with the yellow color; one in the middle of the arrangement, 1-2 cascading over the edge of the pot, and 1 echoing the central spruce top.
7.    Do the same with the Blueberry juniper if desired.
8.    Use 5 redtwig dogwood as color extensions, placed throughout the arrangement
9.    Place 3 winterberry stems for the final accent, use as you would use lipstick – the focal point, to draw the eye into the most interesting part of the arrangement.
10.    Spray the entire arrangement with Wilt-Pruf, place outside to enjoy until March.