Versatile poinsettias
Since the colors of the season are supposed to be Santa Claus
red and Christmas tree green, what do we do about the unusual hues
and shades making the rounds this year?
Every year at Christmas something
”
new
”
shows up as the year’s
”
new
”
trend. A few years back we were startled by pink poinsettias,
but now I’ve seen an ad for a major nursery chain that is selling
hand-painted poinsettias in orange and purple. Painted
poinsettias?
Versatile poinsettias
Since the colors of the season are supposed to be Santa Claus red and Christmas tree green, what do we do about the unusual hues and shades making the rounds this year?
Every year at Christmas something “new” shows up as the year’s “new” trend. A few years back we were startled by pink poinsettias, but now I’ve seen an ad for a major nursery chain that is selling hand-painted poinsettias in orange and purple. Painted poinsettias?
Then there is copper wire. Some florists claim that copper – both the wire and the color – is the hot decorating look for the season. I’ve handled my copper wire, unwound a bit of the shiny stuff, and wondered “Now what?”
Because copper wire is easily bent and shaped, it can be used to make dazzling wire wreaths and ornaments, and to create small “tree branches” in floral arrangements. The thin wire can be used to wrap a bundle of cinnamon sticks alone, encircle a pillar candle, or dress up any plant or arrangement.
If copper alone isn’t appealing, try combining it with orange, bronze or antique gold. Alternatively, go with the rich Medici look of copper, gold and a deep burgundy.
The jewel tones of amethyst, sapphires, topaz, citrine and emeralds are another decorating option, especially for ornaments and ribbons.
But what if you have to have green? In a nod to fashion current fascination with all things green, try decorating with sage, chartreuse, celadon and other shades or venture into the complimentary world of blue greens with teal or turquoise.
Add a dash or more of purple for spice. Yes, it’s true, purple is a holiday color this season. Bring on the hand-painted purple poinsettia.
So, what do we do with all of this colorful stuff to make our holiday home look both smart and welcoming? Consider these decorating suggestions that include old standbys and new approaches.
Take a simple basket, fill it with a bed of moss, and then add pomegranates, pinecones, peppers, berries, cinnamon sticks, acorns or hazelnuts in any combination you like. It makes a nice accent on a hall table and depending on your mix of materials it acts as a subtle potpourri.
If you have a collection of vintage pottery, use pitchers, sugar bowls and small bowls as the basis of a display. Fiesta, jadite, mocha ware and majolica all make nice vessels for mixed nuts in their shells. White crockery, milk glass and blue and white pottery are perfect to hold a bunch of candy canes or peppermint sticks.
If you have a collection of nutcrackers, Santa Claus figures or vintage candles in the shape of reindeer, display them together in a grouping coupled with greenery and candles.
Forget the roaring fire. Empty out the fireplace, stick in a nice big log, and arrange poinsettias, large pinecones, bright bows and large colorful ornaments in a pleasing arrangement. Decorate the mantel with keepsakes such as a collection of framed photos or decorated birdhouses.
Give a new look to old things. The ever-present amaryllis bulb is a perfect example. Take a blooming amaryllis bulb, pull it up, shake off the soil, and place the bulb in a clear glass cube with the roots exposed.
In the end, decorating trends come and go and there is no right or wrong way. Do whatever pleases you, including displaying your collection of fat Santas along with all the ornaments made by your kids, and the handmade ornaments candles cast by your grandmother.
Nothing is truly a decorating mistake as long as it makes you happy.
A Reader Wants to Know: I have some frost-damaged plants, my tomatoes are dead and the jade plant looks pretty sick. Does it do any good to cover them now, or are they truly gone? My neighbor is covering her roses. Does that do any good?
Joan Says: This calls for more than a simple yes or no. It’s a good idea to cover frost-damaged plants even after the early damage. There will be more heavy frost and in some of our areas there will be freezing temperatures. Covering them would cut back on further damage.
Tomato plants are good and truly dead once the frost knocks them out. Pick any remaining green tomatoes, and put them on the windowsill to ripen. The skin will be a bit tough and the flavor not at its peak, but they will be edible.
Jade plant is extremely frost sensitive, and the stems turn to mush in cold weather. Leave the plant alone until spring, and then cut back to solid stems, assuming there are any remaining.
There is no reason to cover rose bushes unless your neighbor is trying to protect the last few blooms. Roses go into dormancy in winter and drop all their leaves. That is the normal rose cycle. When fully dormant in January the rose bushes are then heavily pruned and any remaining leaves and flowers removed.
