Earlier this week, I shared how my home is decorated (outside) for the holidays and I was thrilled to have a little more of my home shared yesterday on my friend Sue’s blog, The Zhush! So, today I wanted to share some more ideas for decorating your outdoor pots from my friends Amy and Amy of The Outdoors Contained. They do pots for every season, but I especially love what they’ve done for winter.
Here are their 6 tips for creating your own stellar arrangements:
1. Go to the nursery with a plan in mind
~Know your sunlight – you may love all of those sun loving blooms but if your containers are in the shade, they won’t be happy
~Know the dimension of your container
~Have an idea of what you would like to create but be careful because a lot of what you see in magazines may not be conducive to your region
2. Stick to a color scheme and don’t be afraid of textures
~Perennials offer great sources of color and texture. They will often last through longer seasons and you can replant in the ground when you are done with them in your container
~Foliage and blooms should compliment and enhance one another not compete
~When buying flowers, if you get the ones with the “tight buds” they will last longer
3. Vary heights and group in odd number
~Be sure to have something that gives proportional height, something that fills the space and something that spills over the side. Otherwise, known as the “filler, spiller and thriller”
~When grouping, stick to odd numbers, creating a triangle
4. It helps to lay out the arrangement as you will pot it, while you are at the nursery. That way you can be sure you are happy with the arrangement and can make any changes that are necessary.
5. Utilize the nursery staff – they are often very helpful about what is best to buy in the current season
6. WATER! Even in the colder months – you don’t have to water as often, but it’s still important
Aren’t you inspired to create your own beautiful arrangements? If you live locally and would like for “the Amys” to create something beautiful for your home, you can reach them at outdoorscontained@gmail.com. I think it might just be the best holiday gift you give yourself!
