Winter porch pots are gaining popularity. Garden centers, grocery stores, and hardware stores sell beautiful porch pots for your front entrance. Why not create your own arrangement and welcome Christmas to your home?
Here are the basic steps: filler, thriller, spiller. Fill a pot with soil. You will need a “filler” —a variety of evergreens such as such as fresh cut boxwood, cedar, spruce, pine. Now is a good time to trim your evergreen bushes and trees.
Choose a thriller for the centre of your arrrangement from among white birch branches, curly willow or red dogwood. Twigs or branches may be spray painted white, if you do not have birch.
Look around nature for your inspiration and think outside the box. For example, you might wish to add hydrangea, sumac, seed pods, pinecones, and grape vine balls to your arrangement as well.
Soft white pine cascading down from your pot adds the spiller. Or you may wish to add a bow made from burlap or sinnamay ribbon. A Dollar Store is my favorite place to find inexpensive items to make your arrangement sparkle for Christmas (such as ornaments and balls).
When creating your porch pot, step back to view it. Make sure your arrangement is balanced and symmetrical. Create a natural arrangement with movement and flow. Enjoy the creative process as it is a unique expression of you.
In November, members of the Dunnville Horticultural Society (DHS) decorate the town pots for Christmas. For more information, visit our facebook page or website at: www.dunnvillehortandgardenclub.org or call Debbie Thomas, President at (905) 774-3064.
Sandi Marr a member of the Dunnville Horticultural Society and can be reached at smarr2@cogeco.ca. She also offers DIY Porch Pot Workshops throughout November and December.
Photo courtesy of Sandi Marr