The holidays are one of the best times for getting in the decorating mood. There’s no need to go shopping for all of these items though; just check out your own back yard.
Jason Reeves, a horticulturist at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center for the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, provides some suggestions for bringing nature in to your holiday decorations. Jason says that, “Nature can provide you with visually pleasing art to place around your home. Plus, it’s a great way to get the whole family involved and in the holiday spirit.”
Items like pinecones, small dried gourds and dried flowers can be used to make either tree ornaments or wreaths to hang on your door. “With a little bit of glue and gold or silver spray paint, your holiday decorations can look great,” says Reeves.
Nature makes for great centerpieces. Pine cones, evergreen branches, rose hips and cranberries all make for astounding holiday table centerpieces that will delight your guests. One creative idea Reeves suggested is to place dried cranberries in a bowl, and decorate around the bowl with evergreen branches, acorns, and cranberries.
When working with nature, certain steps must be taken to keep your decorations looking their best. Reeves cautions, “If you’re using seeds like acorns or Chinese chestnuts, you can place them in a freezer for a few days to kill any insect larva that might be inside.”
To keep your evergreens looking fresh, use an anti-desiccant, which can be picked up at your local garden center. “This also helps extend the life of your evergreen branches,” Reeves says.
When using seed pods dry them thoroughly. You can brush or spray paint them with high-quality gold or coppery metallic paints. Dried pods add shape and interest to basket arrangements.
Also, give the gift that keeps on giving—a picture frame. Reeves suggests decorating the picture frame with small acorns from hemlock trees, branches and twigs. You can also dry leaves and paste them on to your frame as well. Reeves notes that, “This is a great way for kids to be involved in the gift-giving process.”
The holiday fun doesn’t have to stop in January. During the summer, keep an eye out for flowers, seeds and pods that might work. “You can also plan ahead and grow plants for decorations,” Reeves said. “Flowers, such as hydrangea, celosia or lion’s ear, make wonderful natural decorations. Gather them when they are at their color peak. Then hang them upside down to dry. Tie dried flowers into bundles with raffia,” he instructs.
    The UT Gardens are a project of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station with locations in both Knoxville and Jackson. Admission is free, and the Gardens are open to the public seven days a week during daylight hours. Find out more about UT Gardens by visiting the Web site at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu.

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