Last week I talked about how to look after your poinsettias – hopefully helping them last beyond Christmas. Well, I got such incredible feedback from people who are clearly potty about poinsettias, that I’ve decided to write one further blog on these festive favourites. This time, I’m sharing some fun DIY decoration ideas using poinsettias.
These ideas have come from Stars for Europe, the leading group of European poinsettia growers. Some of the greenery they’ve used may not be readily to hand, but I think you could improvise with alternatives that you have in your garden. Equally, some of the ideas look a little complicated in places, but they could be simplified – or pared back.
In short, these ideas are here to kickstart some creative thinking. So if you want to do something a little bit different with your ‘decs’ this year – unleash your imaginations – and the power of poinsettias!
Decoration Ideas Using Poinsettias
Advent Wreaths
First up is this floating alternative to the classic Christmas wreath. The base of this arrangement consists of a straw wreath, with four candle holders and covered with greenery. Here they’ve used moss and privet berries. Next, pine and lichen-covered branches are wired to the wreath – but I think ivy and holly could also work just as well. The classic red poinsettias add some rich colour. These are placed in flower tubes filled with water.
This next example looks earthy and I like the use of white poinsettias. This is a Nobilis fir wreath with four candleholders and candles fixed on top. Most of us will not have this fir tree in our gardens as it grows 150 ft tall! But we may well have it as our Christmas tree (it’s good for not dropping its needles). So we may be able to remove a couple of pieces from it to make a wreath.
Using wire attach cones, hanging larch twigs and cut poinsettias onto the wreath. Attach extra poinsettias in flower tubes filled with water for extra oomph!
Quick Tip
If you are using poinsettias as cut flowers in a decoration or arrangement, here’s a tip to make sure they stay fresh for longer. Immerse the stems in hot water (approx. 60°C) for a few seconds immediately after cutting and then immediately in cold water. If you do this, they should last for two weeks in flower tubes filled with water, within your decorations.
For The Tree
You can make Christmas tree ornaments with cut poinsettias in no time. Simply put the cut poinsettia stems in glass tubes that have been tied to the tree with jute string. I think this white poinsettia used in this way looks very effective with a quite contemporary tree.
Table Arrangements
I couldn’t do a blog on decoration ideas using poinsettias without looking at table arrangements. However, I have to admit that with my terrible cooking the last thing I’m thinking about, when getting the Christmas meal to the table, is whether its table decoration looks tip top! Everyone in the F-W household is mightily relieved if the turkey isn’t incinerated! However, having seen how effective these table decoration ideas are, I way well resolve to have a go at creating one.
In the picture, the base for this alternative Christmas display is an old metal tray – but you may have an old dish – perhaps something earthenware – that works just as well.
In addition to your dish you need four pillar candles, a sphere of foam, poinsettias, moss, cones, water and garden scissors.
Step 1: Firstly, soak the foam sphere in water.
Step 2: Next you need to cut off the poinsettia bracts and insert them close together in the foam sphere. It’s important you don’t forget the earlier tip above to ensure that the cut poinsettia stems remain fresh for up to two weeks.
Step 3: Finally, arrange the poinsettia sphere, candles and cones on the tray and fill the empty space with moss. However, if you don’t have moss, don’t panic. I think any greenery would work well.
Or why not try a display using the pink and peachy toned poinsettias?
I’m told that this romantic Christmas display is easy to make in no time. Simply place a soaked sphere of floral foam in a suitable bowl or tray and decorate it by inserting candles, cut poinsettias, roses, hydrangeas and branches of berries.
Decoration Ideas For the Room
As I live in an old cottage, which four kids have smashed to smithereens, I’ve learned to love shabby-chic, indeed I do shabby brilliantly! So this suggestion caught my eye. It’s really simple. All you need is an old wooden tray and some worn clay pots planted with classic red poinsettias. Add to the mix some cones, twigs and a red star and it’s a lovely festive mix. You could hang the display up in a window like in this picture, or you could just have it on a side table.
Extending this idea, my garden centre recently gave me a half a small wooden crate to take home some plants in. If I pained it a warmer brown, it could easily be used for a similar – bigger display.
For smaller decoration ideas using poinsettias, how about this Advent candle. To recreate this simply press a piece of freshly soaked flower arranger’s foam into a planter, wire the base of the candle and attach it in the middle. Then use plants such as juniper, pine branches, cut poinsettias and cones to decorate.
Or how about this simple decoration idea using poinsettias, a candle, some sprigs from the Christmas tree and some baubles, – all placed on a box lid or tray. Even I can manage this one.
Pine Cone Planter
If you have pine cones – here’s a fun planter idea. And the contrast between these cream-coloured poinsettias and the planter looks rather good.
To make this you need two middle-sized poinsettias, a plastic container big enough to hold them, pine cones of a similar length, gold wire or maybe gold ribbon and hot glue.
Step 1: Hot-glue the cones to the outsides of the plastic pot, keeping the gaps as small as possible. The best way to do this is to place every other cone pointing in the opposite direction.
Step 2: To add a festive accent, wrap thin gold wire or maybe thin ribbon several times around the pine-cone planter.
Step 3: As a final step, position the poinsettias in the pine-cone planter. Easy peasy!
Decoration Ideas Using Poinsettias -the last one
Hanging Display
Feeling adventurous? The final one of my decoration ideas using poinsettias is a hanging decoration. It’s a bit more involved – you will need two metal hoop candleholders, a poinsettia, spruce and pine twigs, a test tube with holes, bind wire twine, wire, a candle, pine cones and decorations (like Christmas baubles). For tools, you’ll need a pair of garden scissors, a drill and wire.
Step 1: Connect the two hoops at the top and insert some spacers (e.g. sticks) at the sides. Glue dried spruce twigs along the bottom section.
Step 2: With wire, fasten other accessories to the base frame such as pine branches, Christmas baubles and pine cones. Loop bind wire twine through the holes in the test tubes to fix them to a stick.
Step 3: Pour water into the test tubes, cut off poinsettia stems and place in the tubes. Finally, put the candle in the holder and hang up the display.
Poinsettia Giveaway!
If that’s got you pumped up about both poinsettias then don’t forget I’m running a fun giveaway – do take part!
Stars for Europe have given me four poinsettias to give away. To be in with a chance of winning one of these, simply subscribe to my blog by entering your email below. (If you are already a subscriber you don’t need to fill it in as you will be automatically entered into the giveaway.) Four winners will be randomly chosen. Good luck!
The Giveaway Closes on 29th November 2020 at 11.59pm (GMT) and it’s only open to UK entries
Competition Rules
This is a joint promotion by BloomingLucky.com and Stars for Europe. Closing date is 29th November 2020 at 11.59pm (GMT). Four winners will win a poinsettia plant this is non-transferrable. This giveaway is open to UK residents aged 18 or over. Entrants must be a registered subscriber to the www.bloominglucky.com blog. To take part subscribe to the www.bloominglucky.com blog, this is the only mandatory task. If you are already a subscriber you will be automatically entered into the draw. Only one entry per person. The four winners will be chosen at random from all correct entries. The winners will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date, and must respond within 7 days to claim their prize. Winners names will be available upon request. This prize draw is governed by English law and the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising in connection with it.