What do you get when you pair seasonal proteas and the warm glow of candles? The perfect holiday ambience, of course. Together, they evoke not just elegance and romance, but they unite the powers of the mind, body and spirit. The proteas’ textural styles and colorful bracts add an interesting contrast to the subtle lighting created by candles. There's definitely a seasonal seduction, too. When you use an array of winter proteaceae, like Serruria, Leucadendron, Protea, Grevillea and Banksia, you're celebrating the glories of nature. Plus, festive scented candles provide winter-like aromas (cinnamon, gingerbread, vanilla and pine) that enhance your mood and feelings of calm and tranquility.
No matter what the occasion… Christmas, Hanukkah or Just Because, striking centerpieces adorned with candles cast a lovely light over the table and deliver all the merry-makings for a magical day.
Soak to Hydrate
Whether you decide to hang the wreath in the heat of your house or the chilly air outside, these winter environments are dry, and the flowers have no source of moisture. If you have a large enough container or tub place the wreath in a couple inches of water to allow it to 'drink' from the back where the stems are. Let it soak for a few of hours, or if you want optimal results, your wreath should stay in the water for a full day.
Moisturize Often
You will need to adjust the amount of water your wreath requires based on where you put it. A wreath displayed outside in a cool climate will require misting once a day. A wreath kept outside in a warm climate or displayed indoors will need frequent watering or misting. This helps the wreath retain moisture by sealing the pores on the proteas and foliage.
Avoid Direct Sunlight and Heat
It can be tempting to place the wreath in a spot where it gets direct sunlight. But direct light can dry out the flowers and foliage, whether you place them indoors or outdoors! If you decide to hang your wreath indoors in a heated room, keep in mind that it probably won’t last as long because they favor a colder climate to thrive.
Enjoy – Happy Holidays...
After the flowers begin to fade, cease spraying, and let the wreath dry naturally. Protea don’t die, they dry Beautifully and will continue to spruce up your home for months.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, we can’t think of a more iconic symbol of the holiday… called the Horn of Plenty because it comes from the Latin word cornus which means horn and copia which means plenty. They’re often brimming with a bounty of fruits and grains, but our favorites are, you guessed it, mostly proteas.
Thanksgiving has always been epic to harvest time, and it's always taken place in the autumn… so, naturally this holiday would include the cornucopia, which represents all of those things. Beyond that assumption though, at what time the cornucopia made its way into our country's consciousness as a Thanksgiving symbol is difficult to say. But with its meaning of abundance, prosperity and good fortune, the horn of plenty now embodies Americans’ thoughts of thankfulness. Whether referred to as a cornucopia or horn of plenty… the meaning of this ancient symbol still resonates today.
So, gather up your favorite fruit, flowers + foliage and create something beautiful!
