Fresh Wreaths and Garlands

Fresh, live wreaths and garlands are a wonderful, fragrant holiday decoration. Help them last their longest with some smart care.

These fresh decorations do best outside where cold temperatures keep them green and attractive for the entire holiday season. Keep in mind that between your storm door and the front door is not outside. This little micro-climate can really see detrimental temperature swings, especially if the sun shines on it.

If you choose to use live evergreens indoors, keep in mind the following:

• Indoor rooms during the winter are incredibly dry. Don’t expect greenery to stay fresh for more than a handful of days indoors.
• Avoid the fireplace. Fresh wreaths or garlands above the fireplace is beautiful, but a fireplace is also the driest, warmest spot in the home. This will cut short an evergreen’s life even further.
• Avoid furnace vents. Blowing warm, dry air will dry out the greenery.
• Lower the temperature, if possible. The cooler the room, the longer the wreaths and garlands will last.
• You can add moisture indoors by spraying with water daily. This can be time consuming, however all the more reason to keep fresh greenery outdoors.

— Aaron Steil, Manager of Public Programs