Winter garden decorations

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20 ways to a beautiful winter backyard |

(Image credit: Future)

Looking for winter garden ideas to give your backyard a beautiful finish, even when the weather is dismal? The good news is that winter garden ideas can be just as stylish, architectural and even as colorful as those you might expect to see in a summer garden.

Unsurprisingly, the best garden ideas are achieved by careful winter garden planning – if you can get all the right elements into your backyard in winter, you're guaranteed a beautiful show.

Below, we bring you our favorite winter garden ideas – all achievable, and many low-maintenance and guaranteed to look good winter after winter.

Winter garden ideas

To bring you the very best in winter garden ideas, we spoke to the experts, including Jonny Norton, head gardener at Mottisfont Abbey , a historical priory and country estate in Hampshire, England, and to five designers from the Society of Garden Designers . Here they offer ideas you can use when planning a winter garden.

1. Create structure with beautiful, bare branches

(Image credit: National Trust / Carole Drake)

Probably the most important of all winter garden ideas, structure sets the scene for the rest of your winter planting.

Garden designer Louisa Bell MSGD recommends including a framework of skeletal trees with multi-stems or fan-trained figs but also acknowledges the importance of evergreens, saying: 'Buxus, Taxus and Ilex create great structure in the winter garden giving form to borders and creating a foil to emerging bulbs. '

Be sure to knock any snow off box balls though or they will splay apart.

2. Use hedging as a backdrop to winter garden planting

(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton)

'Structure forms the backbone to a garden throughout the year but is especially important in winter,' says garden designer Lisa Cox. 'Evergreen plants and shrubs play a leading role.'

Choose evergreen varieties that can be neatly trimmed in early fall to stay smart-looking right through to spring when new buds form.

3. Man-made structures can create focal points

(Image credit: Joe Wainwright)

Structures such as arbors create interest in summer, of course, but in winter, when the flower beds have died back a little, they can make for wonderful focal points in a winter garden. However, small gardens can benefit from an inventive use of eye-catching materials that take up no space, too.

'Hard landscaping can also provide interest when the softer summery foliage and flowers have disappeared. An interesting wall, for example, or intricate detail in the paving can really help to bring additional interest when bare soil is on show,' says garden designer Lisa Cox.

4. Choose winter plants for bold color

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Plants with colorful stems and bark really come into their own as winter garden ideas especially planted en masse for maximum impact.

'If you have the space there’s nothing more heartwarming on a dull winter's day than a border of dogwoods,' says Debbie Roberts MSGD, whose colorful winter stems range from yellow and gold through to bright orange, red and purple. Punctuated with the white stems of birch trees and evergreen mounds of rhododendron they can create a spectacular winter display.

5. Plant for fragrance

(Image credit: Future)

The best winter plants for pots and borders are those that give structure, color or even scent to your flower bed ideas.

'I love the fragrant plants, such as winter honeysuckle Lonicera fragrantissima and the witch hazels, with their delicate spidery flowers and intense perfume. I see visitors literally stopping in their tracks when they get a whiff of them,' says Jonny.

6. Create architectural interest with ornamental grasses

(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton)

If you learn how to grow ornamental grasses successfully, you will also discover that they make for wonderful winter garden ideas – maintaining their form and sparkling when covered with frost. It's important to knock snowfall off them quickly – this can bend and break their stems, although they will quickly recover in spring.

'Mixing grasses with evergreen plants is also a good idea' add Lisa Cox. 'The movement and softness creating a different dimension against the solid structure of evergreens.' Try Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’, Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, Pennisetum ‘Hameln’ and Poa labillardieri.

7. Plant evergreens that bloom in winter

(Image credit: Lorenzo Soprani)

Other evergreens offer contrast to more feathery grasses. Garden designer Lorenzo Soprani Volpini uses Arbutus unedo (above) for its dark green leathery leaves; and Euphorbia x martini for texture and Viburnum tinus for the small clusters of white and pink flowers that bloom in January and February.

8. Plant out winter favorites

(Image credit: Future)

The best winter flowers include favorites such as hellebores and snowdrops, above. Group them in borders, use them in containers or plant them in hanging baskets. They make wonderful blooms for window boxes, too.

9. Pick plants for wildlife, even in winter

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Wildlife garden ideas aren't just for summer – there's plenty you can do to provide for wildlife when looking for winter garden ideas – both in colder months and for the year ahead, too.

'Biodiversity is the buzzword at the moment and we’re trying to include a wider range of plants to attract more wildlife,' says Jonny. 'Mahonias (above), for example, flower in winter and offer pollen to bees that wake early.'

10. Grow your own winter garden veg

(Image credit: Miracle Gro)

Winter doesn’t mean it’s the end of the growing season. If you’ve really got into growing your own fruits and vegetables, with all its environmental and health benefits, and are looking for kitchen garden ideas that extend into winter, there are many delicious crops that flourish in the colder months.

Carrots and fava beans are just a few examples and make for a perfect side dish to your Sunday roast.

11. Topiary looks its best in a winter garden

(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny)

Topiary is a wonderful addition to your list of winter garden ideas. Once the frosts and snows arrive, they take on a whole new dimension, creating stunning sculptural pieces within a space that's much barer in winter than in summer. Of course, they needn't be this large – it's all about the maintenance.

'Many evergreens can grow very big if left to their own devices, so I’d choose those that you can clip into shape, such as yew,' says Jonny Norton.

'Or plant small-leaved hebes, which are fairly hardy and make nice winter features.'

12. Go overboard with winter-flowering bulbs

(Image credit: Future/Carole Barrow)

Container gardening ideas are an easy way to keep a garden looking colorful in winter – and as with winter hanging basket ideas, it makes sense to position them where you can see them.

‘I encourage my clients to bring a table close to a window,’ says Louisa Bell, ‘and to keep a succession of pots filled with bulbs, ivy, cyclamen and auricula. They provide a wonderful splash of color and form close to the house, whilst everything behind has died back.’

13. Group winter flowering plants for added impact

(Image credit: Future)

Winter foliage can add the most beautiful textures and muted colors to a garden which is worth remembering when combining plants in a border.

Garden designer Cheryl Cummings suggests concentrating the effects of flower color by gathering winter flowering species such as helleborus and crocus close together within view of a window or by a path for an uplifting splash of color. Underplant with early narcissus and galanthus for extra flower power.

14. Put up a pergola for evergreen climbers

(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton)

If your garden lacks shelter, then adding a man-made structure like a pergola could be a good winter garden idea for you. Providing shelter from the winter elements and shade in summer, the pergola is a year-round winner.

15. Pick garden furniture that looks good year-round

(Image credit: Future / Polly Eltes)

The trend for making outdoor spaces an extension of the home shows no sign of slowing down – even in winter, so it makes sense to choose garden furniture – set around a fire pit of course – that can stay outdoors year round. This cuts down on maintenance – you don't have to worry about winter-hardy furniture degrading nor put it away in a garden building – but more importantly, it creates an inviting scene to look at from indoors, on the occasions when it's too chilly to go outdoors.

16. Consider a sheltered space you can use year round

(Image credit: Future / David Cleveland)

A semi-open sheltered spot that offers a dry spot to sit in winter can look really beautiful – and needn't be difficult to construct. In winter it can provide somewhere to gather with friends; in summer, it can either provide shade or, if set facing south, a private spot to sunbathe.

17. Invest in a chiminea

(Image credit: Future / David Brittain)

Take the chill off evenings in the garden with a chiminea or a fire pit. Each is easy to light and uses a range of fuels. The chiminea draws in more air so it will give a stronger heat than a fire basket.

Outdoor heating can come in many guises. From fire pits and chimineas to electric heaters and blankets, there are plenty of accessible and affordable outdoor heating options for large and small winter gardens alike.

18. Hang a bird feeder

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bird houses and feeding birds in cold months are both no-brainer winter garden ideas. Both bird houses and bird feeders need to be positioned where birds won't be vulnerable to predators – as far as possible. This means placing them at least 5ft from the ground. While bird feeders can be positioned close together – near the house allows you to enjoy watching the birds feed – bird houses should be positioned apart – up to 30ft if possible.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Christian Douglas Design)

Impervious to weather, garden sculptures should always make it on to a list of winter garden ideas. In summer they will look beautiful, but of course will compete for attention with blooms. In winter, they can frame a view, as above, or perhaps become the focal point of a view from inside the house.

20. Include house plants in your winter garden display

(Image credit: Sofa.com)

Since we spend so much more time indoors than out in winter, it's always worth in investing in a few of the best winter house plants. From cyclamen to citrus trees, these are the plants that grow well in cool, drafty or heated conditions. Place them near windows or patio doors and you will extend the view of your winter garden ideas from indoors to out.

How do I make my garden look good in winter?

As you would in summer, it's vital to go for a combination of planting approaches to make a winter garden look fabulous.

That means ensuring there are plenty of evergreens to provide color, texture, privacy and shelter for wildlife. Planting for winter flowers and scent is a must, too, so that you can enjoy your garden when you're in it, but also from indoors. Keeping the garden tidy by sweeping up leaves in autumn is important, but don't forget to leave a leaf or log pile for wildlife to live or hide in. Then, of course, rely on containers around the house or at view points within the garden so that you can enjoy some extra splashes of winter color.

Lastly, continue feeding birds in winter so that when there's not much to look at when it comes to flowers and foliage, there's still plenty of entertainment as they arrive in your garden.

Lucy Searle has written about interiors, property and gardens since 1990, working her way around the interiors departments of women's magazines before switching to interiors-only titles in the mid-nineties. She was Associate Editor on Ideal Home, and Launch Editor of 4Homes magazine, before moving into digital in 2007, launching Channel 4's flagship website, Channel4. com/4homes. In 2018, Lucy took on the role of Global Editor in Chief for Realhomes.com, taking the site from a small magazine add-on to a global success. She was asked to repeat that success at Homes & Gardens, where she has also taken on the editorship of the magazine.

Simple ways to decorate the garden for the winter holidays. Photo — Botanichka

The winter garden, wrapped in a white blanket, softened by soft snow caps on the graphic crowns of shrubs, looks beautiful and attractive in itself. In it, evergreen crops, dry inflorescences on curtains of perennials and cereals, plants with bright bark suddenly turn out to be real stars ... But on the eve of the holidays, even the pastoral winter landscape seems too modest. At a time when houses are being transformed, filled with bright decor and cheerful colors, special lighting and mood, the garden is often forgotten. But it can also be decorated for the holiday, so that every visit to check the snow cover, shelters, supplies turns into a small holiday. And you can do it without much time and resources.

Garden decoration for the New Year holidays

Why decorate the garden in winter

It is worth decorating the garden for your favorite holidays, even if you do not plan to celebrate the New Year outside the city or gather for family gatherings surrounded by winter nature. The garden is not left unattended, you still have to visit the site.

Regular inspections and control of the condition of the plants are a prerequisite for a successful wintering, as well as checking the stored crop and planting material, distribution and retention of snow. Yes, and our smaller friends - birds, hedgehogs, other useful inhabitants of the garden, as well as rodent enemies, should not be forgotten even in the dead of winter. So why not turn the routine into bright, complex work in the cold - into a fun activity, brightened up with cute details and touching accessories?

After all, in the coldest time of the year, the garden lacks just the little things: colors, details, variety of shapes, interesting design moments. At this time of the year, the underlying structure and gaps in it are exposed, the garden often looks boring. And you can fix it in just a few minutes. Do not be afraid that as soon as the holidays pass, such decor will be inappropriate: instead of Christmas and New Year decorations, choose a strategy of bright winter decoration - and such accessories will be appropriate in the garden until the spring transformation begins in it.

Garden decoration for Christmas

Simple guidelines for finding a way to decorate the garden in winter

Understanding how to decorate the garden and where exactly to place the festive winter accents, which corners are more suitable for experimenting with design, and which ones can be left as is, is very simple. For this, there is no better method than a walk in the garden, in which winter has already come into its own. As soon as the first snow falls, inspect the site in the morning, when the sun has not yet melted the ice and snow, when the garden sparkles in a frosty sheen.

Just walk around your site and mark two types of “points”:

Places where winter beauty is mesmerizing, where it is quite beautiful and without any tricks. Beautiful crowns of evergreens, magnificent patterns of bare branches of shrubs, bright leaves of winter-green perennials, periwinkle or ivy, beautiful height transitions, an ice-bound pond with dry patches of cereals, a pastoral arbor or objects of small architecture - these are typical examples of objects that are especially good in winter.
Those zones and objects that seem empty, boring, inexpressive, on which there is not even anything to “catch on” to the eye.

The rest of the space does not need decoration. But the points of attraction and obvious voids need to be further decorated using different methods for this.

The most advantageous views of the winter garden are slightly supplemented with seasonal or festive "details", which will make the pastoral picture bewitchingly beautiful anyway.

Places that are boring and empty require a little more effort - they need to be filled with large decor to change their perception.

Start decorating with boring, demanding places, and finish with small touches in winning places.

Decoration of the garden for the New Year holidays

Handy and not only decor for the winter garden

You can literally decorate your garden with everything that you have at hand. If you have leftover holiday decorations or plan to throw away old decor, following the New Year trends, do not rush to send accessories and decorations to the landfill: they may well find a second life in the garden.

Christmas decorations, garlands, pendants, Christmas wreaths - this, of course, is a wonderful decor, but still oriented only for the festive period. But decorations that can be left in the garden all winter are no less festive, but more organic, environmentally friendly and appropriate in a garden setting. And the choice is by no means limited: just look around, check utensils, supplies, look at familiar objects and things in a new way.

If the harvest turned out to be enviable, some varieties of apples are simply tasteless, not too beautiful or do not store well - do not throw away fruits, vegetables and nuts picked with love in autumn, but simply give them a new life in the decor of your garden. Small sour apples, wild apples, bunches of mountain ash and viburnum, which turned out to be empty nuts, can be used to fill baskets, baskets, containers that can be placed around the garden.

Covered with hoarfrost and snow, these “harvested” fruits perfectly emphasize the warm atmosphere and the fullness of your garden with life. You will have time to throw them away later, closer to spring. Cones, dry stems and berries are a magnificent decoration, one of the most spectacular in the winter garden. Moreover, you can collect cones for free in the forest on the way to the site. To give fruits and fruits a new winter beauty, they can be additionally moistened with water to form a glossy icy, silvery crust.

An even simpler option is spruce branches, branches of juniper or other conifers, dry thin twisted twigs left after autumn pruning. Of these, you can twist Christmas wreaths, tie them into original bouquets and imitations of wintering potted plants, using them for a variety of compositions.

Never throw away the flexible shoots of trimmed annual or perennial vines: they make a great dressing base for playing with holiday wreaths. Even beautifully folded woodpile will decorate the winter garden no worse than a brilliant winter rain! For example, a modest bundle of brushwood, intercepted by a bright ribbon and as if accidentally left under a group of conifers, will create the feeling that this garden is often visited, it is filled with life and warmth.

It is enough to hang a sprig of spruce on a gate or fence, decorating it with a bright bow, and the decoration for the holidays is ready. Also, as a pendant, spruce branches can also be used to decorate supports that are empty in winter, from which vines were removed.

Such decor can be laid out on furniture, platforms, coasters left to winter in the garden, strung on strong threads, hung like garlands even on a gate, even on a fence, even on a staircase or near a pergola. Just a couple of cones, as if accidentally forgotten on the stairs, and a handful of nuts on the table will add the very zest that the winter garden lacks.

But in order to reliably “hold” the decor, protect it from bad weather, it is better to use old baskets, empty tubs, pots made of winter-hardy materials or containers that have become unusable, which can easily be filled with flowers, dried flowers, seedlings, put winter bouquets of a simple format in them and fix it in the right place.

If you have an old broken chair, a damp-resistant stool, a table that can be taken out into the garden, place them in the garden in the most boring places, using them as additional decor and stands for winter still lifes.

Feeders, birdhouses, winter houses are a great way to decorate the garden and make it look more attractive in the cold season. Treats for birds, for example, can be hung on trees like Christmas decorations, and not poured into birdhouses.

But the most important thing in winter decor is touches. Warm fabrics, even old cuts, scarves you don’t need, mittens that you don’t need, cozy knitted sweaters, not to mention ribbons, twine, sisal - all these materials can be used to decorate the garden.

It is enough to wrap coniferous trees wrapped in a bright ribbon in a spiral with a bright ribbon, tie a bunch of brushwood with a warm scarf, put a couple of mittens on a woodpile or bench, as if accidentally forgetting, spread a piece of warm fabric like a plaid - and the garden will sparkle with new comfort and new colors. Such “games” should not be played in the entire garden, but where you most often visit - not far from the house, on the terrace or in the recreation area, where you usually sit with a cup of tea, wrapped in a blanket.

The most important thing in winter decor - touches

Festive illumination

At the mention of winter garden lighting, the first thing that comes to mind is, of course, bright festive garlands. The choice of models suitable for street decor is amazingly large, and such garlands are not at all expensive. But, in fact, you can play with light in different ways. Even the most modest candles, placed on stumps, a bench or a table, even if they were wrapped up to protect against dampness, will fill the garden with a living glow in the evening.

Particularly charming are candles placed in pots, old utensils, tubs, lanterns and candlesticks of a closed type, pendant lights that can be placed on trees and other objects when they create the effect of islands of light. Additional lamps or replacing the shades with colored ones for the winter will allow you to play with special effects. And everyone's favorite bonfires - both large and small - will brighten up any frosty day.

It is true that you need to use open fire lighting to create a special festive atmosphere wisely, remembering the safety rules, and only when you yourself are in the garden.

If you want your conservatory lighting to turn into a magical spectacle, add additional decor to the lamps and groups of candles. Even simple objects that will bounce off the light will seem like very successful design tricks.

Winter landscape design - how to make a winter garden and decorate it

Plant herbaceous plants in the garden

Some types of plants keep their stems and leaves that look good at any time of the year. Among herbaceous crops, these include cereals and reeds. Panicles and spikelets of miscanthus, powdered with snow, will look spectacular. For the winter, you can not cut it, but leave yourself the opportunity to admire its magnificent beauty. But it’s still worth tying up the stems so that they don’t fall apart with snow. And remember that not all plant varieties tolerate wintering well without shelter. Some will still need to be hidden. The most unpretentious and winter-hardy of miscanthus is sugar-flowered.

A bright contrast against the background of evergreen conifers will be created by the straw-colored stems of wild oats and switchgrass.

Design colors

Although black and white versions of the winter landscape

sometimes find quite a lot of adherents, the winter garden can and should be colorful.
Golden, yellow, reddish, raspberry, steel bluish and bluish-purple tones are not a winter fantasy, but a reality
. To decorate the garden in winter with multi-colored paints, use a variety of coniferous plants with different variations of needles, various varieties represent almost the entire color palette, with the exception of red tones, which are provided by sod shoots, barberry fruits, mountain ash, viburnum, etc. The main thing is not to overdo it with the number of color spots, so as not to get scattered bright strokes instead of a harmonious picture, loudly standing out against the white snow.

Shrubs with dense, neutrally colored crowns and green coniferous plants serve as excellent separators and assistants in building tone combinations.

For example, white turf

has very smooth and shiny raspberry or red shoots, depending on the variety. Against the background of fir trees, next to the Japanese spirea and the creeping form of juniper, it looks bright and festive. A colorful bonfire of shoots is visible from afar and attracts the eye, relegating the companion plants to secondary roles. The same variety, also against the background of a spruce fence, but already surrounded by gray spirea and fir, which muffle its color attacks, and tree hydrangea, with large beige balls of inflorescences that attract attention, looks different. Note that the lacy bushes of the Japanese spirea in both versions quiveringly maintain a balance between the hard whiteness of the snow and the dense wall of the hedge.

Use shrubs with interesting shapes

In summer, shrubs are an eye-catcher thanks to their lush canopy, which can be molded into any shape. In winter, branches begin to play, which in warm weather were hidden under abundant foliage, and in autumn merged with the general dullness around.

In winter, under a layer of snow, branches and stems become more visible, their pattern is well drawn. You can use this feature. Plant a few shrubs with unusually shaped branches. Hazel Kontorta has this. Its branches are twisted into a spiral. And at Matsuda's willow, they are completely curly.

Plant plants with colored stems

Plants with colored stems can add color to your garden in winter.

Sawtooth cherry has rich maroon shoots with transverse stripes.

Derain white - a classic option for both summer and winter decor. Its bright red rods will bring dynamics to a sleepy garden corner. In order for the plant to look magnificent and spectacular in winter, you need to take care of this in early spring. Branching is stimulated by pruning a third of the old shoots flush with the ground.

The offspring turf will add yellow colors. More precisely, its variety Flaviramea.

Various varieties of Vitellina willow will shine in the winter garden with orange, golden and red bark.

Sound design

A warm strong wind, which usually comes along with a thaw, is no less characteristic of the winter months than the frosty crunch of snow underfoot. He is capable not only of howling in the pipes and whistling in the ears, wind music can also be heard with the help of cereals

. The rustling of dried panicles and ears of corn will refresh the notes with a bewitching blasphemy, diluting the monotonous roll call of drafts.

To diversify the winter garden with coniferous plants, it is enough to plant a couple of tall grasses

Tight bowstrings bending to the ground in gusts and relentlessly straightening when calm, tall grass enliven the winter garden until the snowfalls of the second half of winter break their stubborn temper . To simply diversify the composition, it is enough to plant a couple of high cereals, and for the sound arrangement of the garden, about a dozen copies will be required.

Beautiful winter verticals give reed grass, miscanthus, comb spartina, lightning

. Pay attention to the shape and density of cereal panicles. Panicles of miscanthus are the thickest and most powerful in appearance, real heavyweights. Beautiful and graceful lightning "Karl Foerster" with curved arcs long peduncles.

Rare and not very high ears of the grate, but its yellowish-bluish dry leaves compensate for this shortcoming.

Not suitable for this purpose are heat-loving species that require wintering under shelter, for example, pennisetum, Buchanana sedge. Low altitude can also be a serious obstacle to participating in the winter fashion show.

Take care of planting coniferous trees and shrubs

Rarely does an ornamental garden do without coniferous plants. They perform different functions. Evergreen spruces, junipers, thujas serve both as a vegetable fence on the site, and as a source of natural antiseptics - phytoncides. In winter, these needle-like representatives of the flora remind us of summer days thanks to their greenery.

And if there is a Christmas tree or a spruce in the garden, they will do well as the main New Year's tree. There is no need to cut them down to the very root, as the song says. It is much more interesting to decorate the Christmas tree right on the site.

However, not all conifers will overwinter without shelter.

Plant Evergreen or Partially Evergreen Deciduous Plants

It's not just coniferous beauties that stay green in the winter. Some hardwoods also have this luxury.

Huge paws of bergenia leaves perfectly winter without shelter. After all, the plant comes from Altai and has a good hardening. Periwinkle also retains the greenness of its shoots in winter.

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Laurel cherry officinalis can survive even in 25-degree frost. Although its progenitor, laurel, does not tolerate snowy winters in the open field.

Holly is considered a symbol of Christmas in the West. The plant can survive the winter only where there are no severe frosts.

Rhododendrons, euonymus, some types of mahonia also remain to winter with green foliage.

Pay attention to plants whose fruits remain ornamental

Intense color berries covered with snow - this contrast will add bright spots to your garden decoration. This element of natural decor will not require any investment and diligence on your part. The fruits of holly, barberry, cotoneaster, snowberry and some ornamental apple trees look beautiful. The traditional option is rowan. However, its berries do not survive until the end of winter.

Remember that an abundance of berries will attract many birds to your garden. This is not bad in itself. But only with strong attention of the feathered berries will they quickly run out. Therefore, feed the birds with other goodies, and let the fruits remain for decoration.

How to decorate a winter garden with crafts

In summer, flowers and trees are the main decoration of the garden. With the onset of cold weather, we have to look for new solutions. The most important thing that can be done is to provide a place for evergreen shrubs or plants with ornamental berries and bark even at the landscape design stage.

Green bushes of boxwood, arborvitae, bright spots of mountain ash or viburnum berries look elegant in the cold season. For the same purposes, plant hellebore, dog rose, dogwood, pampas grass, holly.

Even in winter you can make your garden beautiful and cozy

And to make the garden look even more elegant and interesting, make creative winter crafts with your own hands. Involve children in the work, they will surely enjoy creating unusual things from ordinary materials.

Snowmen and company are traditional winter guests

What is the most in the winter garden? Of course snow! With it, you can turn the site into a real winter fairy tale. The first thing that comes to mind is to make a snowman. This childish fun can be put to good use by decorating the finished snowman with a cute scarf and hat, handing him a decorative whisk in his hands.

Cute snowman

Together with children, you can mold the most fantastic figures from the snow and decorate finished creations. For this, ordinary watercolor, gouache, food coloring and even brilliant green are suitable. Coloring your snow creations is easy:

First, prepare 1-litre jars or cut plastic bottles for mixing paints. Fill them up with water.
Dilute colors in water. Remember that the solution must be quite saturated so that the finished figure is not pale, but bright.
Start painting the snow. It is convenient to paint a large area of one color from a spray gun. If it is a pity to smear the sprayer in paint, simply pour the solution into a plastic bottle and make more holes in its cap. Narrow stripes or inscriptions are best obtained with a small watering can with a thin spout. Paint complex elements with large brushes or a piece of foam rubber.

Creative snow craft

Instead of snow figurines, you can build a real castle, an Eskimo dwelling or an improvised fence. For construction it is necessary to make snow bricks. This is where cardboard boxes come in handy. They are tightly stuffed with snow, and then gently shaken out. Finished blocks are stacked on top of each other according to the principle of brickwork.

Kingdom of ice on a personal plot

Another available material for unlimited winter creativity is ice. If you have children, invite them to make winter crafts with tinted ice with you. Multi-colored ice figures do this:

Prepare a sufficient amount of water in separate containers and stir in the paints. The richer the solution, the brighter the figures will turn out.
Pour the water into the moulds. To do this, use children's "pasochki", buckets, balloons, rubber gloves. It is convenient to pour water into the balls using a watering can. Tie tightly filled balloons or gloves. Leave all blanks overnight in the cold.
Dip the frozen blanks into a bucket of warm water and remove the mold (just tear the balls apart). That's all. Figures similar to lollipops can be placed along the paths, under the trees, at the gate.

Ice figurines look like sweets

Ice tree pendants are made according to the same principle. As molds, take silicone baking molds, children's sand molds, or any other suitable container. Before pouring water, do not forget to put a piece of rope in each container to attach the finished crafts to the branches. Pendants made of various berries, flowers, and petals frozen in pure water look very attractive.

Ice pendants on branches

If you are planning to spend winter evenings in the garden, make unusual ice candle holders. Working sequence:

Prepare two cylindrical cans of such a size that one of the cans fits easily into the other. The gap between the walls should be 1.5-2 cm.
Pour 2-4 cm of water into a large jar and leave until frozen.
Insert the second jar into the frozen water container and pour water between the sides.
Dip the frozen mold into warm water and carefully remove the jars.
Place a pill-candle or bulbs from a Christmas tree garland into the resulting ice vase.

The combination of ice and fire fascinates

Ornaments from evergreens

There is a catastrophic lack of greenery in the winter garden. Add color with evergreens. The most affordable material for such decor is spruce or pine branches. With garlands or wreaths of prickly paws, you can decorate a fence, a gate. Evergreen compositions will replace flowers in empty flowerpots and flowerpots.

Frame for a wreath

A wreath of spruce branches for a gate or entrance door is made as follows:

From a thick flexible wire, bend the ring for the base of the wreath and fasten the ends so that it does not fall apart.
Cut the twigs into pieces 20-25 cm long.
Secure the twigs with a thin soft wire around the circumference of the base, each subsequent branch overlapping the attachment point on the previous one.
Decorate the finished wreath with ribbons, cones, clusters of winter berries such as mountain ash or viburnum.

Connection of branches to the base

All branches are fixed on the frame

If you want to make a composition for a flowerpot, the branches must also be connected with wire and, if possible, attached to the flowerpot so that the winter bouquet is not scattered by the wind.

This is how the finished wreath looks like

Fabulous winter crafts made of cones

An empty flower bed will be fully enlivened by a basket of cones. Of these, you can also make pendants for trees or unusual garlands. When working, keep in mind that the craft will be exposed to the weather, so the cones should not be fastened together with glue. It is better to connect them with a soft wire, imperceptibly passing it between the scales.

Cone arrangements in the garden look elegant on their own, but if you wish, you can paint them in different colors with spray paints. Work must be carried out outdoors, but not in the cold, otherwise the paint will lie unevenly.

Cones for decorating the fence

Graceful vine compositions

If you are at least a little familiar with the principles of wicker weaving, decorate your yard with openwork figurines made of flexible rods. The advantage of such compositions is that snow practically does not linger on them and the figures are always in sight.

Vine balls

The wicker balls of various sizes look very impressive and are very easy to make:

Prepare enough long wicker rods. If there is no vine, you can use any even, flexible branches, for example, root shoots of maple, viburnum or lilac. The rods must be raw and flexible.
Bend one twig into a ring according to the diameter of the future ball and secure the ends with wire. Prepare 6-8 such rings.
Insert the rings one into the other, forming the outlines of a ball. Secure the intersections with wire.
Use thinner rods to braid the ball in different directions. Tuck the ends of the twigs inward so that they do not stick out.
The finished ball can be tied to a thread and hung on a tree or attached to a strong thin stick and stuck in a flower bed.

Wicker balls with garlands

Snowman made of plastic bottles

What to do when there is little snow, but you really want to decorate the yard in winter? Make a cute snowman out of plastic bottles! The work seems difficult only at first glance. In fact, making such a winter craft with your own hands is very simple.

To make a snowman you will need:

many clear plastic bottles of the same size;
coil of fine flexible wire or synthetic twine;
thick base wire;
sturdy scissors or utility knife and awl.

Snowman frame

Work steps:

First of all, make the snowman frame. For the large bottom ball, bend the pieces of wire in an arc, then stick them into the ground to form a dome.
For the snowman's head, bend 6-8 wire rings and insert them into each other to form the frame of the ball. Fasten the rings at the intersections.
Connect the top and bottom balls with wire and braid the frame lightly for added strength.
Cut off bottoms of bottles. To make the craft neat, all blanks must be the same height and diameter.
It is unlikely that you will be able to find the required number of white bottles, so the cut bottoms will have to be painted. Use spray paint or regular enamel. If you decide to paint the blanks with enamel, then simply pour a little paint into each bottom and distribute it by tilting the blank from side to side.
Gather the prepared bottle bottoms into long garlands. Pierce each blank on both sides with an awl and pass wire or strong synthetic twine through the holes.
Start shaping the snowman by wrapping the bottom band around the frame from bottom to top. To prevent the bottles from slipping, fix each turn with pieces of soft wire.
Draw a face and buttons for the finished snowman.

Bottoms must be the same color and size

Jointed bottoms of bottles

These snowmen can be made from bottles

Place bird feeders in the garden for wintering birds

Bird feeders are not only proof of your concern for nature. They can be turned into real art objects.

Interesting models are sold in stores, but you can make your own feeder, decorating it in the form of a house with a fence or stylizing it as a Japanese pagoda. A simple and original feeder is obtained by gluing a cup to the saucer with its side.

Place decorative garden sculptures

A great addition to the garden at any time of the year - garden sculptures and other items that will look good on the site. There are now many options for small architectural forms for the garden in stores, but with a little effort, you can make sculptures yourself.

To decorate the garden, you can use seemingly unnecessary things, such as an old bicycle, shoes, a broken garden wheelbarrow.

But the winter version is ice and snow sculptures. Small figures can be made independently. Freeze water in a baking dish. There are many silicone molds in the form of animals on sale now. The sculpture can be tinted or illuminated from behind and put on some kind of elevation (stone, bench), and then it will look more impressive.

Crafts for the New Year holidays

When decorating your home for the New Year, don't forget about the yard and garden. With skillful hands, it is possible to turn the site into a real New Year's kingdom.

Luminous sculptures made of cling film and adhesive tape

Surely you have seen shimmering translucent figurines of deer and other New Year's characters in the windows of shopping centers, and just on the streets. Few people know that such beauty can be made by hand.

Luminous deer made of film and tape

The most interesting thing is that all you need to work is a couple of rolls of cling film, a roll of wide tape and a luminous garland. The only difficulty is to find a suitable form for film wrapping - these can be overall garden sculptures, interior figurines and other interesting things.

Work steps:

Wrap the selected form tightly and evenly with cling film in 5-6 layers. The more layers, the stronger the sculpture will be.
Apply 2-3 layers of adhesive tape over the film. It is more convenient to work with segments of 25-30 cm. Try to ensure that the tape lies flat and does not wrinkle.
Using a construction knife or sharp shears, cut the workpiece and remove from the mould.
Place a garland inside. In order for the bulbs to fill the space evenly and not to clump, fix them in the desired position with pieces of adhesive tape. Be sure to bring the power plug out.
Seal the incision with adhesive tape. Magic glowing sculpture is ready!

Winter Porch Decor

How to Make Christmas Garlands Outdoors

Decorate tree branches, fences or house fronts with colorful garlands from a variety of materials. Even children can be entrusted with making these simple winter crafts - they will surely enjoy making funny little things with their own hands.

First of all, you need a strong rope to make garlands. You can attach anything to it - New Year's figurines cut out of felt, snowflakes, flags made of colored paper pasted over with adhesive tape to protect against moisture, burnt out light bulbs painted with paints and much more.

Luxurious snowflakes

Take care of garden lighting

In winter, with a short sunny day, it will not be possible to admire your beautiful garden for long. So that even at night you can see how your corner lives in winter, add lighting. Let it be not only functional, but also decorative. Instead of an ordinary light bulb, hang a beautiful vintage lantern, decorate the trees with neon garlands.

With good lighting in the garden in winter, it will be possible to arrange holidays and just family gatherings. Spot candles in beautiful colored jars are suitable for them. A bio-fireplace will help create a unique and cozy atmosphere.

Do-it-yourself decor inside the house

After decorating the area around the house, you can go inside. First of all, you need to decorate the Christmas tree. It is better if it is natural, then the smell of pine needles in the house will create a special New Year's entourage. Don't forget to decorate the top of the tree. It can be a star, a big toy, a ball and much more.

You don't have to buy expensive Christmas decorations. On a tree you can hang all kinds of garlands made with your own hands from paper. Multi-colored balls, garlands, beads, figurines of the symbols of the coming year, Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden will do. And to the Christmas tree, on which tangerines, sweets and interesting sweets hang, not only children, but also adults are always drawn.

Arrange gifts, both real and sham, under the tree. They create a special holiday atmosphere.

Hang snow-white snowflakes around the house on silver threads or rain, which you can cut out of paper with your children and friends.