Inspired by Nature
Holiday decor from the Garden
“The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature.” Andy Rooney
It’s the most magical time of the year! As I drive through neighborhoods, the outdoor whimsical displays with twinkling lights bring a smile to my face and fill my heart with joy. No matter what traditions we celebrate, we can’t help but be delighted by the sparkling Christmas trees framed in windows, glowing snowmen playing on lawns, and glittering reindeer poised for flight.
On our farm growing up, my parents transformed at least two acres of orchards and gardens into a sparkling wonderland with shimmering, sometimes flashing, lights, ornaments, and creches. No tree or bush was unanimated, glistening in the chilly nights. We lived so far in the boondocks that this shining spectacle was necessary for Santa and his sleigh to spot our home from outer space. Freshly baked cookies, jugs of milk, and carrots straight from the soil awaited Jolly St. Nick, Rudolph, and the rest of the team. Oh, what fun!
Nature has always been the inspiration for my holiday décor. I collect pinecones, cut branches from my conifer trees, and pick sprays of Pistache, holly, pyracantha, or cotoneaster berries to weave a tapestry of holiday cheer. Even the red cones from my magnolia trees make an appearance.
This year, friends Margi and Bill surprised me with what I thought was a red lightbulb. After unwrapping it, I saw that it was an amaryllis bulb hand-dipped in red wax. These waxed amaryllis require no water and no soil to grow. According to the instructions, I placed mine in a sunny spot and will watch it grow. The amaryllis will bloom two or three times this season. To coax it to grow next year, I’ll remove the wax, store it in a paper bag in a cool, dark location, and then plant it next fall. Wow! What a delightful, natural holiday treasure!
For nature lovers, indoor plants make exceptional gifts that last beyond the holiday season. Orchids, bromeliads, spathiphyllums (peace lilies), and anthuriums. With minimal care, these plants will reward you for years with continuous blooms. My peace lilies raise elegant white sails, while my anthuriums flaunt red spikes of inflorescence, although you can find anthuriums with pink or white heart-shaped flowers as well. Despite the erroneous reputation for fussiness, orchids are among the easiest and most enchanting plants to brighten any room.
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) and dendrobiums prefer bright, indirect light and infrequent watering. The array of colors is breathtaking, so you can find a species for every occasion. When the flowers die, trim the stem above a node to encourage reblooming.
Bromeliads, with over 3500 species, arrive dressed in vivid pinks, reds, yellows, oranges, and whites. Their striking bracts make a statement long after the holidays have ended. When the mother plant flowers, her life cycle is complete, and new pups emerge to begin again.
Crotons are another tropical plant with a gigantic spectrum of wildly variegated foliage that delivers spectacular color during the holidays. As outdoor plants, they will grow to ten feet tall, but indoors, they remain under four feet. Crotons can be pruned and prefer warm temperatures above sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Like many other plants, crotons are toxic if ingested, and their oils may cause skin irritation. Use care around small children and pets.
Decorating the Yule tree with lights and ornaments is a joyful tradition. Conifers, usually spruce, pine, fir, cedar, or other evergreens, are the preferred natural Christmas tree, yet many people are opting to buy a realistic, yet synthetic, Balsam fir with memory wire branches and micro-LED lights because the technology allows for easy setup and storage. I fancy decorating my fifteen-foot fiddle-leaf fig because it is too tall and too heavy to relocate! Regardless of what type of tree your family prefers, the way you adorn it is what makes it special and unique.
A beautiful Christmas tree display that thrilled me this year was created entirely from pots of bromeliads. The bromeliads were variegated, vibrant, and multicolored, an explosion of color requiring no additional ornamentation.
For gardeners, decorating trees with flowers, birds, butterflies, bird houses, and other nature-inspired elements brings the outdoors inside.
Sometimes, the most beautifully garlanded trees do come close to exceeding nature! Marvel at the mystery of their great beauty. Be inspired by Mother Nature!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, how faithfully you blossom!
Cynthia Brian’s December Goddess Garden Guide
REDUCE the watering for your landscape as the rain and cooler weather should supply your plant material with sufficient hydration.
WATER any plants in containers that are sheltered from rainfall.
SPRAY white vinegar on newly emerged weeds to kill the roots. Spot treat as needed when new shoots appear.
FEED the landscape with a slow-release, all-natural fertilizer.
SCATTER snail and slug bait around plants susceptible to their nibbling as activity increases in cooler weather.
APPLY sulfur around the root zones of acid-loving plants to lower the PH and promote health and increased color. Ferns, citrus trees, camellias, and rhododendrons will benefit from increased vigor.
PLANT red and white cyclamen along pathways to enhance holiday charm.
PICK a bouquet of the last of the roses to enjoy indoors before January’s heavy pruning.
GIVE living plants as holiday gifts. Living plants and trees offer lasting beauty that recipients will remember for months to come.
Wishing you a magical season of love, light, giving, and receiving. Let nature’s brilliance be your muse for the final days of 2025.
Happy Gardening. Happy Growing.
For more seasonal gardening tips and inspiration, grab a copy of Growing with the Goddess Gardener at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/books.
Raised in Napa County vineyards, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach, as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3, named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year by the Moraga Chamber of Commerce. https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org.
Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at https://www.StarStyleRadio.com.
Her best-selling children’s series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures, is available at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store. Book Four, Flap Forward, Fly Free! is available NOW.
From Cynthia Brian and StarStyle® Productions, LLC, we wish you a magical Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and all the festivities you enjoy. Merry, Merry!
Love the bromeliad tree concept as an alternative to traditional conifers. The way those plants produce pups after the mother flowers creates a nice metaphor for continuity across seasons. I've been experimenting with red-waxed amaryllis bulbs this year too and the no-water requirement is genius for people who travel during holidays. One thing I'm curious about is how the wax removal process goes, seems like it could damage teh bulb if not done carefully.