Decorate a Christmas Tree

I love this idea from the Notebook magazine for a Gardenia Christmas tree. The only problem is Gardenia's don't last long before they go brown and they are expensive,but they do smell delicious and I love the freshness of the flowers and the pine tree. It would make a great small tree for a centrepiece on the table.

Decorate a Christmas tree
By Jada Bennett


Make your home truly inviting on Christmas Day with the luscious scent of pine needles and gardenias. There’s no need for baubles or tinsel – our tree features a chic, natural alternative to Christmas decor. Gardenias flower in the warmer months, making them the ideal bloom for your tree, but you could do the same with roses or frangipani, or your favourite summer flower. Keep in mind that when displayed this way, these gorgeous blooms will look their best for just a day or so – their fleeting beauty and magnificent fragrance will make your special occasion all the more memorable.

What you will need

Gardenia flowers;
Floral wire;
Parafilm (green or white) or sticky tape;
Christmas tree;
Spray atomiser and water
Photography: Scott Hawkins Styling: Jada Bennett

Hints and Tips
...Quantity of flowers will be determined by size of tree - be adventurous and introduce a mixture of flowers...

How to...
1 Cut gardenia head leaving a little bit of stem. Using thin floristry wire, pierce the top of the stem just below the base of the flower. Bend the wire end down to meet the end of the stem.


2 Wrap the length of wire with parafilm (floristry tape) or substitute with sticky tape. This will bind the wire to the stem and create a false stem length to work with that is stable yet bendable


3 Insert flowers at intervals on your tree, or if you have a large Christmas tree, wrap the wires around branches to secure, being careful not to bruise the delicate flowers. Lightly spray with an atomiser.


Published in Notebook Magazine

Issue: December 2007