If you love to garden, you probably have plenty of evergreens in your yard to decorate with. Real evergreen branches are a perfect decor item for the holiday season. However, there are a few drawbacks to using real evergreens in your home.

If your decorations will be around for a while, you risk the evergreens drying out and dropping needles everywhere. This could be a problem if you want your greens to last for the entire winter season. Those dried wreaths and branches also pose a fire hazard if kept too long. Instead, consider using faux evergreens to decorate with.

One benefit of using artificial greens is they don’t drop their needles. So you can use them to decorate your home, porch, and shed throughout winter. And with faux evergreens, you won’t have a fire risk if you decorate with them all winter long.

Unfortunately, many of the faux evergreens available do not look lifelike. If you want evergreens that look real, you’ll spend a lot more money to get those high-quality branches.

So how can you get the best of both worlds? Great looking faux evergreen displays without spending a ton of money? Here are some easy ways to get a natural look without overspending.

How to Create Attractive Displays Using Faux Evergreens…

Start With a Less Expensive Base

The key to attractive faux evergreen displays is to use layering.

Depending on what type of evergreen branches, garlands, and wreaths you want, the cost will be higher for larger items. So instead, purchase a less expensive garland or wreath base. This will form the bottom layer of your decor. It adds color, fullness, and depth to your display at a lower cost.

Purchase More Lifelike Evergreen Branches and Picks

The next step is to purchase a few high-quality evergreen branches or picks that you can tuck into your base. Choose stems that have a more authentic look and feel. Smaller picks are less expensive than a full garland. Hower, you could also purchase one realistic-looking garland and cut it into smaller pieces.

Tuck these evergreen branches and picks into your base greens. In winter, your picks might have pinecones and snowy tips on the branches. For summer, replace the frosty branches with leafy greens such as faux eucalyptus stems or herb branches. You can use your faux evergreens year-round.

What’s the difference between choosing a faux branch versus a pick?

The difference between a branch and a pick is usually the length and fullness of the stem. Branches are much longer… often 2-4 feet. Picks are typically under a foot long.

A few places to use branches:

• Place in a large urn or vase
• Tuck into a pair of rain boots
• Style in a large basket
• Display on your mantle

Ways to use the shorter picks:

• Use in any small container, such as a short vase or pitcher
• Tuck into a bowl of pinecones
• Place small picks on your sideboards, mantle, or bookshelves
• Tuck into a basket on your porch
• Use them to decorate packages

Finally, Add in Decorative or Floral Stems

To up the wow factor of your evergreen displays, finish by incorporating a few real components. For winter, tuck in some bare branches, pinecones, colorful berries, or dried seed pods. In the summer, include sunflower heads that can dry in place or add in some seasonal dried flowers such as dried hydrangea flower heads.

As you build up these layers, the less expensive greens will not be as noticeable in your display. However, they act as the support to hold everything together.

Read… Create a Winter Wreath From a Thrift Store Find

A Few Tips for Using Faux Evergreens

1. If you’re missing that wonderful evergreen smell with your faux greens, place a few evergreen scented candles around your home. Or use a pine-scented pot-pourri mix in a bowl.
2. Plan each year to purchase one or two high-quality garlands, branches, or picks. The best time to do this is at the end of the holiday season when stores will discount faux evergreens. Over time, you can accumulate better quality products and eliminate the less expensive ones.
3. Don’t be afraid to cut your faux garlands and branches apart. You can use these smaller pieces in so many ways.
4. Save every piece of greenery. Even a small tip can be used for decorating or gift wrapping.
5. Combine a variety of faux greenery to give a more natural look and feel.

Steps to decorate a Faux Evergreen Wreath

If you love having an evergreen wreath for the holidays and into the winter, using a faux wreath form will help it last longer. Follow these steps to create an attractive, lifelike wreath.

Step 1: Start with the correct size wreath for the space

Purchase the basic wreath form for the area. Make sure you get the correct size for the space where you plan to display your wreath. If it’s too large or small, it won’t look right.

Begin by fluffing the branches. This can make a big difference to the volume of your wreath. Spread the branches apart and straighten the tips.

Step 2: Fill in with some higher quality evergreen picks.

Choose plain or snow covered picks. Or select picks that have pinecones on them. Attach these higher-quality picks to your basic wreath using floral wire. Again, fluff and adjust as you add in these smaller stems.

Step 3: Collect bare branches to attach to your wreath

Look for branches with a small diameter, but have a full appearance. To add contrast, you could spray paint them white. Tuck the branches into the base and wire them on. Gather these branches from your yard or a local park after a storm. Or ask a neighbor for branches that have blown down or were pruned.

Step 4: Add in additional touches

To finish the wreath, tie on a bow, place a faux bird in the branches, or tuck a nest into the bottom of the wreath. Attach some ornaments, jingle bells, berry stems or some other seasonal items. Or you might prefer no additional touches. It’s up to you.

Everyone loves the idea of fragrant evergreen boughs decorating our homes. But the truth is, these branches dry out easily. They can increase your fire hazard risk and they make a big mess. Faux evergreens to the rescue. They look attractive and reduce the potential for problems.

Save your real evergreen branches to decorate outdoors. The branches don’t dry out as quickly because of the cooler, moist weather. And when they drop needles, it’s a breeze to clean up.

If you’re trying to get a decorator look on a budget, then try your hand at layering the evergreens in your decor. Start with an inexpensive base and then add a few realistic-looking picks to make the display look more natural. Using faux evergreens in your decor is an easy and attractive way to decorate for the holidays and beyond.