Decorating with Holiday Garlands

How to Decorate and Care for Seasonal Fresh Greenery

By Ava Green

Garland is the icing on the holiday decoration cake!  It frames and cozies a door or entryway, adds character to a blank wall, charm to a fence, and whimsy to a railing. If you’ve ever felt like something was missing with your Christmas décor, garland may be what you’re looking for. 

Here are five easy steps to follow to add garland to your holiday decorations:

Step 1 - Hydrate!

This advice works for most things, and fresh greenery is no exception; give your greens a spa day. When you get your garland home from Eising Garden Centre, fill a wheelbarrow or bucket with warm water, add your greens, and soak them overnight. 

Once they’re done soaking, let them drip dry to release excess moisture.

Step 2 - Prevent Dehydration

Evergreen decorations will stay fresher longer when you do this!

Lightly mist your fresh greenery with an anti-desiccant spray. This preventative step creates a protective barrier and reduces moisture loss, keeping everything greener longer. Do this before you add any decorations!

Once your garland is decorated and hung, keep it looking lush by misting it with water at least once a week.

Step 3 - Choose and Prepare a Location

The beauty of evergreen garlands is that they’re very versatile and can be placed in so many locations. Whether you’re framing a doorway, wrapping a railing or a fence, or draping a porch, you’ll need something to attach your greenery. Here are some items you could use to hang and secure your garlands:

• Finishing nails
• Cable ties
• Curtain or shower tension rod
• Wire
• Cup hooks (drill a pilot hole first)
• Gutter hooks

Note: Adhesives will most likely not hold in cold weather and should be avoided

Step 4 - Add Accents

Greenery on its own adds warmth and beauty anywhere, but you may want to also add a pop of colour or some embellishments. Grab some twine or floral wire and consider including some of the following:

• Wired ribbon 
• A statement bow
• Berries
• Magnolia leaves
• Fairy or twinkle lights
• Pinecones & seed pods
• Dried citrus slices
• Other decorative garlands like beads or snowflakes 
• Holiday decorations like silk poinsettia, bells, ornaments and baubles

At Eising Garden Centre, we have a wide selection of ribbons, bows and decorative floral picks to choose from for your additions.

Step 5 - Hang, Wrap, and Drape

You’ve planned and prepped the location for your garland, and now it’s time to hang it! With all of the groundwork you’ve done, this is an easy and rewarding final step. Secure your finished garland to the hangers or tension rod, then stand back and admire how it elevates your holiday décor!

Additional Resources:

Caring for Christmas Greenery: https://eising.ca/caring-for-christmas-greenery/

More Fresh Greenery Ideas: https://eising.ca/how-to-decorate-with-fresh-greenery-for-christmas/

Holiday Home Decor Ideas: https://eising.ca/holiday-home-decor-ideas-you-can-make-yourself/