Can you believe that we are already heading into the third week of November? Christmas is only five weeks away. When did that happen?

This fall has been especially warm and sunny — it does not feel possible that we are halfway through November. This past week, I started making up Christmas planters at a local garden centre.

There is nothing like working freshly cut evergreen boughs as you make planters, swags, garlands and wreaths. The fragrance of pine and cedar seems to revive memories of Christmases past. 

There are so many ways you can incorporate fresh greens into your outdoor holiday decorating.

Using evergreen boughs and trees is one of the longest Christmas traditions. The year-round green foliage provides us with a sign of hope to carry us through the winter and into the new year.

Outdoors, there are countless uses for greens and one of the greatest things is that you do not have to compromise your style to do so. 

Whether you enjoy the more contemporary, simple lines of design, a more classic look or a very natural, woodland look, you can achieve the style you desire with fresh greenery. 

There is the traditional use of porch planters at the front entrance, the wreath on the door and garlands around the door, windows and trim of the house. 

Also, think of other areas where you might be adding a little extra holiday cheer — areas that are still focal from inside the house such as outside the patio door or an area visible from the kitchen window. 

The greenery used in planters with soil will usually stay fresh-looking well into winter — sometimes as late as March. 

Other outdoor decorations not placed into soil, such as wreaths, swags and garlands, will dry up a little quicker than the greens in the planters. 

If you can spray the wreaths and swags with some water periodically, that will help them last a bit longer. 

There is also a product called Wilt-Pruf, an anti-desiccant that, when sprayed on the evergreen boughs, will help the greens from losing moisture as quickly.

Here are some tips to consider when thinking about using fresh greenery this season:

1.  Before shopping for your boughs, you may need to take some measurements first to make decision-making easier and to avoid repeated trips to the store. Some measurements you may need to know are: The size of the door or wall area where you are hanging a wreath; the distance around a doorway or along a railing or fence where you want garland; and, the size of existing decorative pots, so you know what pot size will fit inside.
2. Do you want to coordinate colours and types of greenery across your home or opt for unique decorations in each area?
3. What style do you want to convey? For a modern look, choose strong bold lines and keep the lines and selection of greenery simple.
4. When shopping for your boughs, make sure that the foliage seems fresh to the touch. If the foliage feels dry and you are starting to see a bit of browning, these boughs or garlands will not last very long. If you see a lot of needles dropping when handling it, this is also a sign the greenery is drying out.
5. Rehydrate your greenery. Making sure your greenery has adequate moisture is the key to them lasting longer. A lot of the boughs you purchase are cut weeks in advance of you buying them. If you are using boughs to make an outdoor planter, make sure you make a fresh cut on each stem before inserting them into the soil. 
6. Keep the soil moist until it freezes up. For wreaths, garlands and swags, it is best to spritz them every three to four days to keep them green longer.

So, if you are “pine-ing” to “spruce” up your décor “fir” the holidays (pun intended … I know, kinda sappy), add some live greenery both outside and inside your home this Christmas.

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