Although boxwood trees made in Oasis floral foam continue to be popular with our customers, many love the way mixed greens give these arrangements a different look. We create these trees for the holiday season and here’s how you can make one too.
Here’s a tree that was made for an open house demo a couple of years ago.
Here’s what you’ll need: Some wet floral foam such as Oasis, waterproof tape, a container, pruners and mixed greens.
Here are the basic supplies I worked with today.
You can purchase the assortment of greens or cut them from your yard. Today I used noble fir, Port Orford cedar, white pine, blueberry juniper, and boxwood.
Put the wet floral foam into your container and cut off part of each corner as shown.
After all four corners have been trimmed tape the Oasis into your container so that it doesn’t tip.
Start with the firmest of your greens. I began with the nobel fir. Cut a piece that already looks like the top of a tree and use that for the leader. Cut small pieces and put them around the bottom to give you a sense of where the edge will be. Note that I place the middle pieces in at an angle, not sticking straight out from the Oasis.
Next put in one of the softer, floppier greens. I used the white pine and added it randomly around the tree.
After the white pine I added Port Orford cedar. I love how the underside of this green is lighter in color.
Blueberry juniper was added next.
The last green is boxwood. You could use any of the hollies instead, or another small-leaf evergreen.
If you have any evergreen that is variegated, use it! The white variegation makes magic on these arrangements.
Or you can add long-lasting fresh flowers such as mini-carnations, mums or baby’s breath.
Since Hyannis Country Garden is near the ocean, many of our customers like a starfish at the top of these trees.
Mixed greens trees lend themselves to other natural decorations such as pods, mosses and pinecones. Keep all the greens fresh by watering the tree from the top every two or three days. The easiest way to do this is to place the tree in the sink and pour water onto the top…let it drain before putting it back in place.
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