Winter Containers 2016

This was last week..........

At the Ritz in Naples, celebrating our accomplishments with an interior client. The warm breezes, Margarita's and the scent of the sea

This is now........

Ahhh, the crisp fresh air and scent of evergreens. Hard to believe it is that time again. 

 We have just begun filling clients containers, hanging garland, lights.......

Here are a few examples, and how-to's to get started.


This is your easiest composition; red twig dogwood set upright (in the remaining soil)with numerous boughs of cut boxwood stems set in an irregular, informal fashion. Come spring, this will be as intact and colorful as when originally composed

The entrance to a man's office; masculine and naturally woodsy

 Set amoung spruce tree toppers are upright birch poles

Up close, a saved birds nest found on the ground last fall, and pheasant feathers. The greens consist of the tree toppers, variegated Oregonia and Blue Spruce

A late day sunset highlights these whimsical posts set in front of a candy & popcorn shop. The ornaments on sticks are plastic and will endure all winter, or leave the sticks in until thawed and pop off the balls

Faux Holly berries, en masse. The rim of the urn is a boxwood WREATH, laid down

 The berries are re-usable year after year because they are hard plastic. STAY AWAY from any berries with a styrofoam core, mid winter they will explode! Real berry stems such as Ivy or Winterberry turn black and fall off

Consider the space. A black urn in front of dark green conifers = a dark space. The white birch sticks calls attention to this corner

 In addition to the sticks is another form of hard plastic berries, in this case "Viburnum berries". They twist, they form, they last for YEARS! Other greenery used is Oregonia (variegated) and blue coned Cedar for a great drape

 A white home is a wonderful setting for the pop of red and green

Massive. When complete 4'+ tall out of the urn and 3'+ wide

A home with Teutonic leanings, requires the same of it's containers;

Spruce tree toppers

Red twig dogwood sticks

Blue Spruce, the underside up as it's blue is more vibrant

Birch Poles; tightly wired together in a cross fashion, then wired to the upright tree toppers

 Same home; Spruce, Faux berries, Silver Bell Eucalyptus

WARNING; These Silver Bell Eucalyptus add  gorgeous color and texture to your outdoor containers. Indoors, as they dry, the strong scent of cat urine will alarm yourself and any guests!

 Another white house, adorned with wreaths and roping......no containers. Wherever the roping came to a peak i added pre-made swags of greenery, pine cones and faux holly berries

Ribbon. This bow is from last winter. Real red velvet with an underside of green silk, the plaid ribbon is faux Duponi. 

NEVER use the stiff, faux, 'velvet' ribbon....not when the real thing works so beautifully

 Your first step in creating a winter container is to choose your variety of greens, seeking a complimentary variety of differing textures and tones

 Here we used both blue and green Spruce, dark green boxwood and silvery blue of Silver Dollar Eucalyptus. Once your base is in place, using the same principles of summer containers; "Thriller" (tall), "Filler" (center) and "Spiller" (cascading down), you are ready to add any elements to personalize your composition

 We simply added the faux berries and extra large white tipped pine cones

See the red twig dogwood to the far right of this photo? That is not a shrub but vertically inserted dogwood sticks to anchor a blank corner while adding winter interest

And when the day is complete, add this....Salted Caramel Vodka Hot Chocolate

Recipe.

Fondly,

Debra

....LOCAL NEWS....

Here is a clever Gift Idea; A gift certificate to one of our AMY HOWARD paint classes that includes; one sample pot at no additional cost. A value of $69.00
$55.00