Fresh Greenery, Wreaths + Garlands 101

While faux options have certainly come a long way, there’s nothing like the look and feel (not to mention the aromatic elements!) of fresh greenery. Admittedly, there’s a little upkeep involved to help your greenery last indoors, but it’s totally worth the effort. Whether you’re brand new to fresh greenery or have worked with it in years past, consider this your guide to keep those garlands looking their best all season long.

Tip No. 1 | Buy Quality

Decorating with fresh holiday greenery is all about embracing simplicity and sustainability. It’s about bringing natural, seasonal elements into your home, and the best way to set yourself up for success is to work with the freshest products you can get your hands on. Start by checking out your local nurseries, farmers’ markets, and garden centers for their current inventory. Or, search trusted online retailers like Gracious Garlands, Lulu & Georgia, Terrain, Williams Sonoma, and Ballard Designs, all known for their commitment to quality.  When ordering greenery online, look for products that are “fresh-cut” and pay attention to shipping times. The less time your product has to spend traveling, the better.

Tip No. 2 | Soak Overnight

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a photo of our olive branch greenery taking a soak in the bathtub on IG Stories, and my DMs suddenly went wild. People were shocked to see this simple trick in action, and I’m telling you — it works wonders! Whenever you’re designing with natural wreaths, garland, or loose greenery, it’s important to trim the stems and soak them in room temperature water overnight. This gives your live greens one good final drink after their travels and prepares them for an extra week or two on your walls. Once your greens have finished their overnight soak, let them air dry and decorate to your heart’s content.

Tip No. 3 | Mist Regularly

With all your fresh holiday greenery now perfectly in place, it’s time to extend the life of your live greens even further. Plan on misting your greens with water about every other day to help prolong their freshness. Your greens might need less frequent waterings, but we’ve had a particularly warm fall season here in Austin, so I’ve been misting mine on the regular. Just remember: fresh greenery placed indoors has a limited lifespan and can last around three to four weeks with proper care. At the end of the season, snip off the wire and compost the greenery – no bulky storage bins necessary.

Bonus Care Tips

*Avoid placing your fresh greens in direct sunlight or on heat sources, such as heat vents or radiators. 

*Once your greenery has been placed, try not to move it around to minimize shedding. 

*After an overnight soak and air dry, consider using an anti-transpirant or anti-desiccant spray to help delay the drying out process. This one comes with rave reviews.

*Don’t be afraid to intermix your fresh holiday greenery with the faux options. This gives you the best of both worlds and can keep your garlands looking more lush and full towards the end of the season.

Design and Styling: The Identité Collective | Photography: Madeline Harper

Looking for more holiday inspiration? Here are a few posts we think you’ll love:

• Holiday Home Tour 2021
• Holiday Home Tour 2020
• Work Your Closet’s Holiday Home Tour
• Fresh Greenery + Garlands 101
• Thanksgiving at the Casey Home 2022

IDCO Studio is a boutique creative agency specialized in beautiful and unique marketing solutions for interior designers. Focused on branding, web design and Instagram marketing, IDCO Studio is a woman owned and operated team of creatives based in Austin, Texas. The Identité Collective, which began as a business blog quickly grew into a collaborative community focused on providing business strategy and visual inspiration to the interior design community.

Now you can find our shop of resources, templates and custom branding and web design work over at IDCO Studio – leaving The Identité Collective as a permanent resource for our beloved design community.