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Outdoor Evergreen Arrangement

Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-302 -- More Projects »
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Transform empty planters into winter arrangements using excess pruning materials and clippings from trees in your landscape.

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Sumac adds longlasting color.
Wondering what to do with those permanently placed summer-annual containers during the winter? This simple and attractive arrangement will add beauty and color throughout winter.
  • Cut off the tops of the summer annuals, leaving the roots intact. The root mass will help serve as an anchor for the arrangement.
  • Cut some spruce branches that offer about two feet of greenery. Remove the branchlets from the bottom 6 to 8 inches of each branch. (Note: Soak the branches in warm water for 24 hours before placing them in the arrangement.)
  • Push the bottoms of the branches into the potting soil in the container. Position the spruce branches to create an evergreen base.
  • Add a few small branches of red twig dogwood. You can find these at garden centers or florists. If you want to harvest them from your yard, wait until the first hard freeze so that the red color has had a chance to develop.
  • Add several sprigs of sumac or eucalyptus for more contrast.

    In the spring remove the branches and plant annuals in fresh potting soil.

    • Also in this Episode
    Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-302
    •Choosing Evergreens
    •Planting Evergreens
    •Outdoor Evergreen Arrangement
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