southern roots | HOLIDAY DÉCOR
Go Natural for Holiday Décor By Pamela A. Keene | Photography courtesy of Olive Branch Florist
The materials to make your most stunning holiday centerpiece may be right in your own backyard. A trend toward natural materials is one of the more pleasant outcomes associated with the increase in home gardening throughout the pandemic. “More people have taken up gardening in the past couple of years,” says Dee Dee Erfurdt, owner of Olive Branch Florist in Olive Branch, Mississippi. “As such, we’re seeing more natural and home-grown plant materials being used for weddings and for holiday decorations.” Pampas grass, palm spears, and dried flowers add texture to arrangements, and they can lend a traditional look to Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Erfurdt also likes to incorporate feathers and other natural components into her tablescapes. “Feathers and birds are especially popular because they introduce such wonderful rich colors in nature’s palette,” she says. “And this season, our floral suppliers have also crafted 32 DeSoto
a wide choice of birds with natural colors, from cardinals and gold finches to lovely pheasants and chickadees. They come in all sizes and can be used not only for tablescapes, but in garlands, wreaths, and the family Christmas tree.” Rick Pudwell, director of horticulture at the Memphis Botanic Gardens, says holiday decorating with natural materials has long been popular in the South. “Evergreens, such as plum yew and cryptomeria, make a fabulous foundation for arrangements,” he says. “Not only are they beautiful, their fragrance accentuates the holiday spirit.” Other options known to grow in residential landscapes include holly, ivy, juniper, osmanthus, and magnolias. For fresh-cut greens, Pudwell suggests clipping them and immediately putting them into a large bucket of water to keep them fresher for a longer period of time.
