Happy Holidays! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying copious amounts of seasonal festivities with family and friends. I, for one, am loving the unseasonably warm temperatures that have been gracing us most days lately!
Recently, I took advantage of one of these beautiful, fall days to give yet another makeover to the neglected fountain I rediscovered last month. Hopefully you caught my last post and saw how this forgotten fountain became a fun, fall display. Just in case you missed it, here is a quick pic:
Since the original makeover was so easy, I decided to give it another go…this time filling the tiers of the fountain with freshly cut evergreen branches, large pine cones and other items. Plus, in the spirit of the holiday season, I resurrected the cherub and dolphin who didn’t make the cut last month!
As a reminder, here is what I started with:
And here is this month’s display:
I used the same potting soil from last month’s arrangement as an anchor for the evergreen branches, stabbing them into the soil to make a random, yet balanced composition. Then I added sculptural branches of Manzanita and sandblasted grapevine, along with large, sugar pine cones that are secured to some of the sturdier evergreen stems using florist’s wire. Finally, I gave Mr. Cherub and his fishy friend a little bling in the way of some shiny Christmas ornaments leftover from another project.
And voila! A unique, holiday display made from natural elements and leftover treasures. I think it makes a festive addition to the otherwise empty veggie garden.
Try making a similar display for your own garden or patio using an old fountain like this or, perhaps, a collection of garden containers. If you are lucky, you might even be able to harvest the fresh greens from your own back yard…or during a leisurely hike. Regardless, just remember to have fun with it and enjoy the season!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Exterior designer Daniel Keeley is an Arkansas native and founder/principal of DK Design. His work has won numerous awards and accolades and is featured regularly in various publications. For more information visit dkdesignoutdoor.com.