As you prepare to decorate your home this holiday season, consider the bounty of garden elements and other natural options available to brighten up your holiday displays. Many of these can be gathered up at no cost and, better still, can be simply tossed in the compost pile during clean-up.

Juniper, spruce, pine, fir, cedar, holly, and boxwood branches are just some ideas of evergreens that you might already have in your yard to choose from. 

Remember that in gathering these branches, you are trimming the tree or bush so consider the plant’s shape as you cut. Curating your greens from a variety of plants increases the different textures and hues of green in your décor and decreases the number of branches needed from each plant.

If your yard does not offer up enough greenery, visit your local garden center. They should have everything from bulk stems as material for your own creations, to fresh wreaths and garlands, either already decorated or ready for you to adorn with your own natural elements.

Place greens in a festive container with a waterproof liner filled with water or fitted with a block of moistened oasis. Hammer the cut ends of the woody stalks to allow them to absorb water better.

Maintain the moisture in the containers to ensure the longest life of your greenery. Wherever possible, place natural garlands and wreaths in cooler locations to prolong their beauty.

Take a stroll around your yard to look for twigs, ideally volunteers that have already separated from the tree or shrub. Birch and dogwood are two plants that offer interesting features and colors. These can be added to tall narrow containers with other natural elements. Or, if you have a larger stick with small branches, it can be mounted to a wood base and adorned with ornaments or lights.

Houseplants can also be called upon to act as a canvas for string lights or lightweight ornaments. Look to Norfolk pine, rosemary, and other houseplants with a desirable shape and ability to support some adornments.

To add some brighter color to your natural décor, tuck in some cuttings from winterberry, American cranberry bush, sumacs (in the Rhus family of plants), red chokeberry, and holly berries. Keep in mind that holly and winterberries are toxic to pets and humans.

For additional texture and color, check your yard for dried perennial stalks, especially those with interesting seed heads. These can be added to garlands, wreaths, and containers. 

Pine and other conifer cones are prolific and can be collected easily. Cones gathered from nature should be prepared prior to use. Soak them in two-parts warm water to one-part white vinegar for 30 minutes. They may need to be weighed down if they try to float. Stir the water every 10 minutes to dislodge any debris and bugs. Shake off excess water and lay out on a towel or cooling rack to dry completely. This process will remove any sap and disinfect them as well. Use the clean cones to beautify wreaths and garlands, in centerpieces, or tie many along natural fiber twine to create a string of cones to hang on the tree. 

After enjoying your natural holiday display all season, remove any non-compostable elements and add the rest to your compost pile.