Here in northern California, fall looks different than it does in the storybooks. We don’t have snow. We don’t have holly. We don’t have pine trees. What we DO have is redwood trees – and, courtesy of the tree trimming we had done recently, lots and lots of redwood branches. We also have flowers. Yes, flowers – it’s getting colder and we’ve had a couple of rainstorms, but winter hasn’t really made itself at home yet, so the garden boasts roses, sages,and stubbornly optimistic Cosmos. So, in the spirit of “bloom where you’re planted,” I made a holiday swag out of what was lying around.
First, grab some redwood branches.
Then, grab something to tie them together with. I used picture hanging wire, just because I happened to have it, but string or twine would work as well. Don’t forget to make a loop to hang it with. If you can find something to decorate the top that helps too. I found a piece of red silk string that had come on a gift.
Then grab whatever else you can find for color. I chose roses – two red and one pink – and two stalks of a deep purple sage, because that’s what’s growing.
Arrange the flowers against the redwood background and secure them at the top, and tie a bow if you have something to tie a bow with.
Voila – holiday cheer!
