Wreaths and Garlands

What signals the arrival of the festive season better than a Christmas wreath? It is a great project for both adults and children and will bring your front door to life. You either buy a wreath-making kit from your local garden centre or use florist wire and plants from your garden to bring your wreath to life.

Evergreen plants like conifer sprays, pine, holly, eucalyptus and ivy make an ideal base you are your wreath. Pair with winter colour from dogwood stems, pyracantha berries, rose hips, dried lavender and fruit to complete the look.

Garlands also will give a natural but festive look to the front of your house when hung around the doorframe. Again, you can purchase spruce garlands from a garden centre, or you can put together your own with sprays from your garden. Why not try mixing your evergreen garlands and metallic baubles, bows or pinecones for a welcoming entrance?

Planter Displays

Simple foliage additions can elevate the seasonal feeling of your porch or doorstep and evergreens are timeless and most popular for Christmas décor.

Buxus topiary, a conical bay tree or lollipop is a smart addition to a doorway, adding both Christmas style and sophistication all in one. Not just a great decoration for your front door, bay leaves are also great for picking all year round to add to your favourite meals.

The taxus or yew has a similar look to a Christmas tree and can be planted in two decorative planters and decorated with baubles and lights to create a mini festive haven on your porch

Winter colour can be easily achieved with bedding plants such as cyclamen, pansies and viola, bellis, primroses and the festive silvery-white foliage of cineraria. Named the Christmas Rose for a reason, the hellebore flowers from early January through to February and is also a perfect perennial plant to spruce up the front of your home during the darker winter months.

There are a wide variety of interesting foliage plants that could be planted alongside the bedding to create lovely winter planters, creating both height and texture for your Christmas display. Evergreen grasses such as Festuca ‘Elijah Blue’ and Carex Frosted Curls’ will add movement and structure. Featherlike shape leaves from ferns such as Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart’s tongue fern) and the colourful leaves and stems of perennials such as heucheras, ajuga, sedums and Santolina ‘Lemon Fizz.’

Lights

Lighting is not only a feature in itself but helps to bring together all elements of your Christmas front door decoration.

Why not try some LED icicle lights which will look so festive around a porch or hanging from a doorframe? Ice white is typically wintery, but your local garden centre will also stock an assortment of colours like red and blue for a more modern look to your door.

You could also try creating a festive scene on your doorstep or front garden with LED ornaments, shapes and animals to grab the attention of visitors and passers-by.

For extra impact, add large lanterns filled with baubles, ornaments and gift boxes underneath for yuletide sparkle.