Bonnie Nowicki
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and the plant nursery people have filled the stores with colorful mums, sunflowers, and more. Why not be more creative and source some of your holiday decor from your own yard. Start by choosing a favorite plate, platter, bowl, tray, or basket to display your finds. Cut various size shrub or tree leaf branches, such as oak, olive, rosemary, mesquite, or euonymus, or whatever specimen leaf you want to incorporate in your centerpiece. Press the chosen stems between paper towels with a heavy book for two days or more. Intertwine unique seed pods, small pomegranates, nuts, and interesting rocks or plaid or striped ribbon. Your main centerpiece could still be a store-bought flower or pumpkin, but you’ve surrounded the item with some of nature’s bounty that’s uniquely yours. I encourage you to mix and match. Your arrangement will be stunning.
I have decades-old dried oak leaves I use in my autumn table display every year. Originally, they were dry-pressed in a book. My centerpiece is usually a pumpkin or cornucopia surrounded by the foraged leaf stems, pods, nuts, and cool rocks and ribbon. You can use your landscape treasures for Christmas decor also. Weaving a red ribbon through pine branches would add more textured beauty. Dare I suggest to include some lovely, high-quality, everlasting (artificial) leaves and flowers? I do, and it extends the life of your arrangement. Of course, poinsettias, Christmas cactus, or kalanchoe, etc., can be part of your holiday display. Another idea to consider is a special heirloom bowl of fresh, mixed citrus with a few leaf stems from your landscape. You can create a very special look like no other.
Just a reminder, our local U of A Master Gardener Extension Center has a nice variety of cacti and landscape plants for sale, plus bags of soil and other needed items. A 10-minute drive from Quail Creek, the address is 530 East Whitehouse Canyon Road. It’s open 8 a.m. until noon, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please remember, your creativity is endless. See the possibilities in your very own yard. Thanksgiving blessings to you all.