Festive planter recipe – forest wonderland planter

Credit: Terry Guscott

The essence of nature is captured by this combination of fragrant Douglas fir and Western red cedar, accented by red-tinted foliage and framed by a nest of red osier dogwood branches.

1. Western Red Cedar Boughs
2. Red-tinted Seeded Eucalyptus
3. Burgundy-tinted Evergreen Magnolia
4. Brunia stokoei
5. Red Osier Branches
6. Douglas Fir Boughs

Fill the container with potting soil. To securely hold branches in place, soil must be damp and well compacted. Build a foundation by first placing evergreen boughs, pushing branches into the soil. Start from the centre of the container and work outwards. Arrange the eucalyptus, Brunia and magnolia evenly to fill in the planter. Push a group of 3 red osier branches deeply into the centre of the pot. Use raffia to tie evenly spaced branches upside down to the top of the centre branch so that your finished product resembles the photo. Tuck a few tinted magnolia leaves into the raffia knot for extra accent.

Note: The quantity of branches and boughs required will depend on the size of the container used.

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