Outdoor Winter Containers

A few weeks ago I saw a demonstration at MOPs on how to create winter containers with the planter pots you have outside from summer. They are supposed to last all winter long and add some beauty to the bare winter landscape. The other ladies in my group agreed that they were cool, but none of us really expected to do these on our own. This is where I got the idea that it was a really good excuse for a party! These would cost between $50 and $130 ready-made at the nursery I shopped at, so for around $20 a pop by doing it together and buying supplies in bulk, it was great! We even made a few as gifts. I invited the other ladies to my garage for an evening of creating. I picked up supplies at local nursery and craft stores (one of us called around first to find the best prices on greens). I picked up the greens (spruce tops, evergreen and other green accents) which ended up costing us about $15 per pot since we bought in bulk. The guests brought any extras they would like to make their pot prettier (ribbon, metal plaques, wooden reindeer, and lighted branches). I also picked up some additional colorful and sparkly things like plastic berries, curly twigs and fake glittery branches to dress up the pots. Fake glitter snowflake ornaments were also a popular addition.

Here is how we set it up:

 A table and old dresser as workspaces, potting soil area in wheelbarrow in back

Unseen in this photo is the hot chocolate and cookie station on the left :)

In the back we had a radio playing Christmas music and a small space heater, which was great after we closed the garage.

Here are the supplies we used:

potting area

Fill your pot with soil- make sure it doesn't have too many roots from old plants.  If you use new soil you'll be able to just plant your Spring flowers in it later.

 

Spruce tops- these are the main green in each pot.  We used 2 of them along with multiple accent pieces per pot

 Accent pieces

Evergreen accents- these were cut from the bottom of the Christmas tree of one of the guests.

Sparkly glittery fun additions and some pinecones too for that natural look

Some of the pots in the process of arranging- sometimes it took us awhile to make it look nice and balanced:

Completed pots!

To these we later added a silver bow and red silk poinsettias for a pop of color

Many of them looked really bright in the garage, but once they are put outside they didn't look quite as bright so we added a little more color.

My house!  One of these was a gift so I don't have this many containers outside my front door.

And a view with a wreath on the door :)

Maybe you could plan your own Winter Pot Party (that sounds so wrong doesn't it?)!
~ Sally