Part of the magic of the holiday season is the decor, and one thing that adds a lot of character to any outdoor decor scheme is Christmas planters. Despite what you might think, you can buy or create planters on any budget. Truly, we mean any budget.
For those working with a limited budget, Dollarama is a great option. Surprising, yes, but they have a huge section of fake greenery, frosted branches, red berries and more. An added bonus of going this route is that you’ll be able to store your planters and reuse year after year! If you still want to work with the fake stuff but a bit higher quality, Michaels is your best bet.
Garden centres or hardware stores like The Home Depot will be mid-range in price for real greenery, birch accents, and festive baubles. Specialty markets like Spruce Meadows and Millarville Christmas Markets will offer the cream of the crop in terms of product and price.
Step by step, here’s what you need to do to create beautiful holiday planters:
1. Purchase your supplies. Buy a variety of greenery (especially with the fake stuff) to add dimension and visual interest. Make sure you have lots of your chosen “base greenery” to fill the pots.
2. Weigh down your planters or pots. Use bricks or rocks to ensure they don’t blow over on windy days. Trust us, it’s worth it.
3. Add dirt or some type of filler on top of the rocks. Dry foam blocks are also great for this. Now your base is ready to be filled.
4. Start with the biggest branches. So, if you’re adding tall birch or twigs, put those in first and work around them. You’ll need to dig a bit of a hole in the filler to accommodate them.
5. Start sticking in your greenery. Begin with the base greenery and then add the accent greenery. Make sure some stems stick up straight like the birch and hangs over the sides of the pot too. Faux greenery will require molding, fluffing and maybe even cutting to achieve this look.
6. Add lights and hide them amongst the branches.
7. Place your preferred baubles. Wire works well to adhere items to the branches. Pinecones, pomegranates, red berries, holiday balls or bows will do!
But if after all these tips you’re still not confident in your arranging abilities without professional help, there are a few local flower shops hosting really cool workshops:
Amborella Floral Studio – Seasonal Outdoor Planter Workshop, December 17, $100
Marlow Floralworks – Call to book private group.
Flowers by Janie – Offers private custom workshops upon request. Contact to book.
Still looking for the perfect tree? Here are three places you can find a real Christmas tree in Calgary.
By Caitie Lawrence; Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
