Seasonal arrangements create 'beautiful wow,' says master gardener Brian Minter

It's been a soggy week and with winter well on its way, master gardener Brian Minter suggests creating colourful plant displays to beat otherwise gloomy-looking patios and window sills.

Seasonal plant arrangements, made from cuts of greens, twigs and berries, can easily be brought inside. As for outside, Minter said, porch pots have exploded in popularity across the country.

"The idea is to take something that you've had since the spring," he said. "Maybe even it's the patio planter — the one with all the dead plants in it right now."

A little bit of rearranging can breathe new life into the pots and planters. Minter recommended using cuts from white pine, lodgepole pine, noble fir or western red cedar.

"Of course, we're not cutting down trees here, we're taking tips off branches in your garden or where you are allowed to do this," he said.  

Bright colours

Use contrasting colours and details like pruning stems from white birches or pine cones, Minter recommended.

"The secret with cones is get a little tray of latex paint and just rub your cones in it, it gets that beautiful reflection," he said.

Deciduous holly is a must-have, Minter said.

"Not only does it give intense red in your garden to be able to cut the stems are great, it's also a wonderful food for a lot of our native birds that stay over the wintertime," he said.

And it's not just for Christmas time, Minter said, the arrangements can last all winter if properly watered and cared for.  

"These are the things that when you put them together create that beautiful 'wow' impact on your porch," he said. "It's really creating something unique and the fragrance is unreal and, of course, you can bring them inside as well."

To hear more, click on the audio link below:

With files from B.C. Almanac.