Beyond the Bright: Subtle Ways to Decorate Your Landscape for the Holidays

In 2014, the average consumer in the United States spent, on average, $55 on holiday decorations. Chances are, you've invested a fair amount of money on such treasures as well. While you transform your home into a winter wonderland for the family to delight in, remember that you can also spread holiday cheer to your neighbors through festive decorations outdoors. Passerby and guests will appreciate your holiday spirit when you intertwine these ideas into your landscape.

Personalize the Front Porch

Entryways offer a perfect palette to show your holiday joy. Consider crafting candelabras from discarded wine bottles, placing lanterns in galvanized metal buckets, and stringing nautical rope with bows along the railing. Fill outdoor pots with seasonal plants and place on the porch. Greenery, such as holly, evergreen branches and winterberry make beautiful accents for front door gardens.

String Lights Along Pathways and Plants

Landscape lighting always adds a distinct sense of character to a home. Many homeowners hang bulbs across gutters and rooftops, particularly during the Christmas season.

While we never tire of sparkling icicles and twinkling lights, there is something magical about a neighbor who chooses to expand the colorful parade of lights. Elevate your home's personality by stringing lights along the walkways, shrubs and plants surrounding your house. Consider using natural landscape lighting as well.

Layer the Landscape

As you plan your landscape, think of what passerby see when they stroll nearby.

• What is the focal point of your yard?
• What do you hope they notice first?

You likely want layers so people can appreciate the complexity of the design. The same principal applies to holiday decorating. Create a foreground, midground and background. Arrange the decor to complement your landscape's layering.

Collect Ideas

No one says you need to generate all of the decorating ideas by yourself. Take a leisurely walk through the neighborhood for inspiration. Peruse the plentiful resorts and hotels that punctuate nearby neighborhoods. Although such properties have a much more elaborate budget than you are apt to enjoy, you can still look to them for tips that you may incorporate.

Weave in Unexpected Colors

Although Christmas brings thoughts of red, green and white, there's nothing that says you can't expand that repertoire. Some of the most interesting displays incorporate violet, teal, pink, and other non-traditional colors to reimagine the holiday scheme. HGTV provides some unique suggestions here.

Create Zones

To generate visual appeal, consider dividing your decorations into zones. Depending on the size of your yard, you may consider two or three zones. In each area, place a holiday-centric decoration. You may want to refurnish barn siding or wooden planks to become a large Christmas tree or stack of presents. Craft an arbor from re-purposed ladders draped with greenery.

Reinvent the Metal Bucket Planter

Add holiday spirit to galvanized metal buckets with perforated snowflakes, snowmen, Christmas trees and reindeer. Use a black marker to first outline the desired shape onto a bucket. Then, use a Philips-head screwdriver and rubber mallet or hammer to punch holes into the bucket. Add a splash of color with a festive ribbon behind the holes.

Fill the buckets with potted evergreens. Junipers and cypress bushes are especially attractive and festive. Alternately, place electric candles in the bucket for a gorgeous glow in the darker evening hours. Buckets can be placed on the curb, along walkways, or near your front door.

Spruce Up the Mailbox

If you're like most of us, your mailbox serves one purpose: to hold mail. In this season of joy, however, it can take center stage. Liven up the area with oversized lollipops and candy canes. To make a lollipop, attach a bouncy ball to the end of a PVC pipe. Cover the ball with colored burlap and tie with twine. For candy canes, use plywood for the outline and cover in burlap.

Happy Holidays from All of Us to All of You!

We want to take this time to wish all of Northwest Florida the warmest of Holiday wishes. Thank you to our wonderful team of dedicated associates and their families for supporting GreenEarth day in and day out. We cannot say thank you enough! Most of all, thank you to our customers for your business! We look forward to delivering landscape service excellence to your property in the new year.

Would you like to discuss your commercial and residential landscape needs for the new year?

You can reach our Panama City Beach office at (850) 236-1959 or our Santa Rosa Beach office at (850) 267-0010. Or, you can fill out our handy online form to schedule a free consultation. And be sure to download our free Landscape Planning Guide below. Get yourself some inspiration!