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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Tillandsia for Foliage Follow-up

For Foliage Follow-up today I'd love to show you my halls decked out in evergreens for the holidays, but they are all fake. Yes, I use artificial greenery because it's impossible to keep evergreen wreaths and roping green in our warm winter climate.  I've tried making my own wreaths of juniper, rosemary, and boxwood from the garden but a few days in our 80+ December weather renders them droopy and brown.

While searching for ideas using native greenery I found photos of interesting tillandsia arrangements and wreaths.  That is one plant we have plenty of in South Texas.  Tillandsia recurvata grows all over our live oak trees.



There's also great texture in the lichen on the branches and twigs.
We recently trimmed live oak branches away from the house giving me plenty of raw material so I got to work wiring the tillandsia to an old wreath form.  The result is far from the typical minimalist style of tillandsia display but I like it on the side gate near the garage.


I wove in a few lichen covered twigs.  The gray-green tillandsia and various lichen are fascinating

I think it needs decorating with a nice bow and some ribbon to dress it up.

Ribbons and bows in the form of succulents.   Agave vilmoriana along with a nameless agave pup.  Of course I couldn't resist adding a cluster of Donkey ears kalanchoe pups and Aloe 'Blue Elf'.


This one should last quite a while and provide plenty of cheer through the winter.

You'll find more foliage posts in the comments section at Digging.

6 comments:

  1. That's very creative of you, Shirley, and a fun post for Foliage Follow-Up. Happy holidays!

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  2. How cute! Such a great idea. We have a ton of Tillandsia recurvata or as we like to call them..."moss balls" around. Perfect wreath for TX:)

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  3. I agree. Very creative and the perfect wreath for Texas. I bet it will continue to grow, unlike other wreaths made with natural materials.

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  4. Smart idea! And I love the succulents put on like bows! Very creative. You are right about it being too hot here for evergreens. I have some evergreen wreaths on my door, and they are looking extremely sad. Not at all festive for the holidays!

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  5. What a great idea...around here there would be pine-cones used where you've got the succulents.

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  6. I love the elegance of the muted colors...a relief from the ubiquitous red and green of the season. Happy Holidays!

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