In last week’s article, I wrote about using freshly cut evergreen boughs for outdoor Christmas decorations.

After years of putting together Christmas planters of all shapes and sizes, I have learned that some simple techniques can help you get off to a good start and hopefully take some of the frustration out of this task.

In this article, I would like to give you some instructions on assembling your own planter by providing step-by-step directions.

Step one: Know your space

Look at the space where you are planning to place your planter. How much room do you have? Will the planter be sitting up against a wall or will it be sitting out into the open more?

Where space is more limited or where the planter will only be viewed from one side, you may want to consider doing a flat-sided planter, meaning that there is a backside with stems taller than the height of the container. These arrangements are meant to be viewed from one direction only.

If you are planning on placing it where it will be viewed from more than one direction, you may want to consider a round-shaped arrangement.

Knowing your space will also help you determine the height and width of the planter.

Step two: Collect your materials

To make your Christmas planter look interesting, you’ll need a variety of materials.

How you decorate an outdoor planter is a personal preference but it’s best to use materials that have different heights, textures and colours.

For most Christmas urns, I use at least three types of boughs for the base of the planter (usually cedar, white pine and Douglas fir), and a minimum of two accent greeneries such as evergreen magnolia leaves and variegated boxwood.

You also need to consider if you want branching such as birch logs, dogwood branching or willow branches. Do you want to include any extras like cones, berries, colour balls or sparkly sprays?

Step three: Getting started

If you are planning on using birch poles, place them in the empty container before filling your pot with topsoil. Fill up with topsoil to just below the rim of the pot.

There are three components of any arrangement regardless of their shape and they are the thrill, the spill and the fill.

The thrill refers to the height, the spill is the skirting or the branches that droop over the rim of the container and the fill is the area between the thrill and the spill.

I always start with establishing the height first. For a flat-backed arrangement, this means placing some upright taller stems at the back of the container. If doing a round arrangement, you will be placing the upright stems in the centre of the pot. Make sure that you choose stems that stand up well and do not droop when held upright.

Once you have established the desired height, the next step is setting the width with the spill (or skirting). I find that cedar and white pine work best for the spill part.

To get the boughs to cascade over the rim, lay the stem on the rim of the pot and push the bough on a slight angle so that the stem is at least three to four inches into the soil.

Once you have the first layer of skirting done, you can start with the next layer of skirting that will be slightly shorter in length than the first layer. Push these stems into the soil at a slightly greater angle than the first row.

Step four: The finishing touches

The third component is the fill. Previously, you established the height and width of the arrangement. Now is the time to start filling in the centre area.

If you were to draw an invisible line between the tallest point and the widest point of the arrangement, no filler branch or decoration should extend beyond this invisible line.

Now is the time you determine if you are want to add in any bling or decorations to your planter. Do you like to add a bit of sparkle? Do you prefer something more natural-looking?

This is your chance to add your style and personality to your planter. Be creative — the only limitation is your imagination.

The last thing is to do any more filling in with greens where you are lacking.

Step five: Maintenance

Keep watering your planter about every four to five days until the soil is frozen. Once frozen, you can stop watering.

Most of the evergreen boughs will stay green until March.

If the above steps have left you frustrated or bewildered, visit your local garden centre for a workshop or to purchase a prepared planter.

Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca