5 Christmas Container Ideas To Add Cheer Indoors And Out

Wreaths, twinkling lights, Christmas trees, bows, garlands—oh my! There’s no shortage of holiday decor ideas, but let’s not forget about beautiful planted arrangements that are designed to last. From front porch greetings that’ll boost your holiday curb appeal and centerpieces that double for outdoor and indoor entertaining to gift-able arrangements and pretty containers to display throughout your home all season long, florist and garden expert Mark Thompson has an idea fit for every scale and budget.

Plant High-Spirited Amaryllis

Amaryllis flowers are a cheery sign of the season. “Amaryllis do better with good light, growing quicker and more upright (like they are climbing toward the sun), but they will still bloom in cooler and darker environments,” says Thompson, who recommends planting these in mid-November, as they need approximately four to six weeks to flower. “Nestle each bulb into the rocks so its base is just touching the water,” he says. “Once it starts blooming, tuck in greenery clippings around it.” Here, he used Western red cedar, pine, and incense cedar, though any cuttings or berry branches will work. Choose ‘Minerva’ amaryllis (shown here) for a redder tint or ‘Apple Blossom’ for a pinker one.

Ingredients: 

• Amaryllis bulbs
• greenery clippings
• small rocks (any pebbles or marbles will do)
• a tall vessel

How To: 

1. To plant the bulbs, fill a tall glass vase with rocks, and then add water so it covers the tops of the pebbles and just the base of the bulb is resting in the water.
2. Tuck sprigs of greenery around the base of the bulbs to dress up the container once the flower is in bloom.

Build a Tiny Tree Farm

Forgo traditional container gardens, and extend your tree-trimming skills to the entryway. “This fun and easy collection of evergreens in baskets could dress up a porch or foyer all winter but still feels holiday-esque,” says Thompson. You can use a variety of trees, cut or rooted in pots. He selected a Charlie Brown-style blue Atlas cedar (top left) as well as (in ascending order) two Arizona cypresses, a ‘Red Star’ white cedar, two Italian cypresses, a ‘Blue Point’ Chinese juniper, and a silver tip fir. He placed each potted evergreen in a basket, nestled moss around the plants to hide the vessels, and tucked in pinecones for a decorative flourish.

To curate a glitzier look, decorate with your favorite baubles. “For more color, you can tie bows onto the baskets or branches,” he suggests.

Ingredients: 

• a variety of small evergreen trees
• moss
• wicker baskets (or sturdy vessels of your choosing)
• pinecones of various sizes
• ribbons and ornaments (optional)

How To: 

1. For potted trees, simply place the container in your decorative vessel. If using cut trees, first anchor them in soil or use a small tree stand before placing within the larger basket or pot.
2. Tuck moss around the base of the tree to conceal the soil.
3. Attach pinecones or other decorations of your choosing. For larger pinecones, twist florist wire around the base of the cone to create a hook to tie it to the branch. (Smaller decorative elements can be gently placed in the branches.)

Create Tabletop Tidings with Topiaries

Turn your every-day plants into a festive display. Here, the garden expert used an assortment of topiaries to create the appearance of one large arrangement. They will last longer if you plant in a vessel that has good drainage and has a saucer (so they don’t sit in water) and keep them in sunlight. “I left each topiary in its individual pot, placed them together in a bigger container, and then added moss on top,” he says. “That way, after the holidays or your party, you can take them out to care for them. Change the ribbon seasonally or to suit your home’s color palette.”

Ingredients: 

• topiaries—Thompson used myrtle, lemon cypress, and boxwood honeysuckle
• a large, deep vessel
• moss
• ribbons

How To: 

1. Place potted topiaries into the larger vessel and cover the surface with moss to hide the individual containers.
2. Carefully tie seasonal ribbons on the plant as desired.

Forage for Your Front Porch Finery

Grab your clippers, and take a walk around the yard. This affordable combination, which will last from November through early January, pulls together all the natural elements of the season and works in any container you have on hand. “Clean out the old plants, leave the existing soil, and water it well,” says Thompson. “The dirt will act like florist foam to hold in moisture and keep all the cut ingredients in place.”

The idea can be executed in any size pot or urn that best suits your space. “Start with a big, branchy center using pine and magnolia leaves. Then layer in deciduous holly branches at the top and American holly at the bottom,” he says. “Try to keep the layers separated a little to let each shine.”

Ingredients: 

• magnolia leaves
• pine clippings
• deciduous holly branches
• American holly
• any soil-filled planter

How To: 

1. Snip branches at a sharp angle—this will help make them easier to maneuver into the planter.
2. Starting with pine and magnolia branches, poke the clippings into pot filled with wet soil.
3. Add deciduous holly branches in the center, allowing them to pop out of the top.
4. Tuck American holly sprigs around the base, spilling out over the edge.

Put Show-Stopping Pink Poinsettias on Display

This pedestal-worthy composition calls for pink poinsettias rather than the traditional red variety. “If you display it on a porch, you can leave it outside as long as temperatures are above 40 degrees,” says Thompson. “Or use it indoors to elevate an entry table or sideboard. To move the arrangement more easily, plant the flowers in a plastic bucket or liner that you put within the urn.” A mixture of evergreen clippings pressed into the soil around the edges softens the look—plus it smells good. An eye-catching centerpiece can also be created in a large footed bowl and kept indoors.

Ingredients: 

• pink poinsettias
• a plastic bucket or plant liner
• large urn (or footed vessel)
• evergreen clippings—incense cedar, pine, cypress, and juniper

How To: 

1. Plant poinsettias in a lightweight container (like a disposable plastic planter) and place it in the display-worthy vessel.
2. Poke greenery clippings into the soil around the edge to fill in any gaps.

Pot Rosemary and Mini Poinsettias to Double as Gifts

Perfect for a bookshelf or nightstand, this petite display is easy to arrange and requires little maintenance. Thompson secured five mini poinsettias into a rosemary topiary and then tucked in a few sprigs of balsam fir below the flowers to round it out. “You can find rosemary plants trained into wreaths at most garden shops this time of year,” he says. For extra flair, embellish the top with a long velvet ribbon.

Ingredients: 

• rosemary topiary
• mini poinsettias
• greenery clippings, balsam fir used here
• small decorative pot
• ribbon

How To: 

1. Replant the rosemary topiary into a small, pretty pot.
2. Add in and secure the poinsettias.
3. Tuck greenery clippings along the bottom edge as desired.
4. Tie a small bow onto the top, allowing long tails to cascade down.