The following is an article I wrote for the "Green Page" of NJL's website and it also appeared in the weekly newsletter. Borst Landscape and Design is a potential advertiser for NJL and we wanted to feature them in an article. I was in contact with the Public Relations woman from Borst Landscape & Design and I created the following questions for her to answer and base the article around.
Deck the Halls
When it comes to holiday decorating, it never hurts to get a little professional advice. Experts at Borst Landscape and Design, a nationally recognized, award-winning landscaping company, offer NJL readers tips on both indoor and outdoor holiday decorating. From greenery to holiday lighting, these tips will help you make the best of holiday decorations.
Which types of indoor & outdoor greenery are best for decorating homes for the holidays?
For outdoors, we typically use garland, mostly from heavy balsam, cedar or pine. We add greens such as holly, juniper, noble fir, berries, and eucalyptus. When it comes to outdoor arrangements, we enhance the above greenery with grevillea, birch branches, and magnolia.
For indoor use, we use pine, balsam, spruce, magnolia, and noble fir. These cuttings dry out more slowly than other greenery and can last several weeks if you keep them cool.
Which types of outdoor plants are best for surviving the winter months?
Choose evergreens for container plantings such as boxwood, Alberta spruce, Colorado blue spruce, and globosa spruce.
Which kinds of greenery stand up and stay up the easiest?
Balsam, juniper, noble fir, baby eucalyptus, and magnolia are definitely best for this.
What are the major safety tips you have to offer for installing holiday lighting?
Always use proper tools (such as stable ladders) and electrical fixtures made for the outdoors. To enhance safety, secure all extension cords with electrical tape and use timers that are suitable for the outdoors.
What tips do you have on caring for decorations like wreaths, mistletoe and holly?
Outdoor greenery can be sprayed with a fixative, widely available at craft stores, or an anti-dessicant spray. For indoors, a quick shot of hairspray should seal the greens and prevent them from drying out.
What other holiday decorating tips do you have to offer our readers?
At Borst, we add a lot of natural branches that we find in the landscape such as hydrangea and interesting dried material like gypsum and ting ting. We may also spray some material with gold or silver paint for a special holiday sparkle. The natural branches go with any style décor and add a striking accent to your display.
Borst Landscape and Design – 260 West Crescent Ave., Allendale, 201.785.9400, borstlandscape.com
