Favorite Flora for Christmas
“It was a comfortable room, books filled the recesses, chrysanthemums and Christmas roses bloomed in the windows, and a pleasant atmosphere of home peace pervaded it.”
-Louisa May Alcott, “Little Women”
Accent your floral abundance this holiday season with charming embellishments fit for a Little Women-inspired Christmas, such as pomanders and brown paper packages filled with peppermint sticks, old-fashioned ribbon candy, walnuts and a shiny red apple. Pomanders are easy DIY ornaments made by embellishing oranges with cloves. Garnished with a red ribbon, these festive decorations are ideal for any tablescape or mantlepiece. While evergreens such as pine, fir and spruce are the focal point for most interiors during the holidays, there’s always a need for smaller floral bouquets to accent and embellish beneath the tree, staircases, mantlepieces and tables large and small. This is when poinsettias, Christmas cacti, amaryllis and paper whites are most favorable. Accents of elegance are most appreciated when scattered throughout a home and can be noticed while sipping a glass of spiced cider on Christmas Eve, such as a conspicuous sprig of mistletoe hanging from a chandelier or a small bit of waxen holly shining by candlelight. Ivy is also a wonderful embellishment for spare corners and nooks. Emerald and crimson are undoubtedly the colors of the holiday season but so are white, silver and gold. A silver candelabra stands out when decorated with a velvet bow and a shaggy pine covered in tinsel and colored lights is always more fun than a perfectly symmetrical, overly fussed with Christmas tree. The Shaggy Dog Eastern White Pine is perfect for a cozy, sentimental aesthetic.
While poinsettias are famous for their red blossoms, there are cream and pink varieties as well (which are unexpected and equally jolly). Some think that poinsettias are poisonous to pets, especially house cats, but this simply is not true. There’s no danger in having a potted poinsettia plant in reach. Mistletoe, however, is an invasive pest and this is precisely why most choose an artificial option. Evergreen trees are known for their needles that shed but are worth the fuss because they smell so good. Sometimes a fake Christmas tree just doesn’t match the sentiment of a fresh one. Of course, pinecones make for some of the most rustic and cozy chic embellishments. Whether you’re painting them and hanging as ornaments, leaving them plain with just a ribbon or making your own DIY bird feeder with peanut butter and seed to hang in a tree outside your picture window, pinecones are always merry.
Some other popular flowers and fruits used at Christmas include apples (which were hung on trees in early English traditions) and dried orange slices to represent prosperity. In winter, oranges were considered luxuries in most parts of the world and having them around was thought to attract bounty in many forms, including sunlight and warmth. Nuts have always been a favorite during the holidays as stocking stuffers, hence the ever-popular nutcracker. Roasting chestnuts while Jack Frost nips at your nose is one of the most charming and nostalgic holiday pastimes! Punch made from sorrel berries is a favorite treat in the Caribbean where they grow wild. Much like the flavor of pomegranates or cranberries (only less tart), sorrel makes a deliciously refreshing deep red juice drink.
A Victorian-inspired Christmas is very popular because of its old-world charm. “Wreaths, swags, and garlands made from fresh-cut greenery (especially on mantels, around doorways, and intertwined around staircases), as well as mistletoe ‘kissing balls,’ played a huge part in Victorian décor.” Adding “natural garlands using cedar, pine, eucalyptus, fir, ivy, holly, and juniper, with feathers, berries, and pinecones mixed in” add an authentic and eclectic touch. While we don’t advise using real candles on trees (for obvious reasons), this was all the rage pre-electricity! Another popular Christmas flower is the Christmas rose or hellebore (helleborous niger). It flowers even in the depths of winter and is a member of the buttercup family. Known for its five-petaled flower that resembles a wild rose, these grow in a variety of hues—from classic white to green and deep purple. They thrive in the shade and add color to any winter garden making them a classic favorite.
For the perfect Christmas arrangement, don’t forget to explore what Chelsea Flowers has to offer and click below for more on a Victorian décor aesthetic: