danger garden Christmas, 2025

It's Christmastime! Which means, I post photos of what our tree looks like this year...

Moss baby!

I'm not sure exactly when inspiration hit, but early in November I knew I wanted to do a moss-covered tree and convinced Andrew to go collect moss with me (we've got a spot where it's legal, or at least not illegal). On Wednesday (next post) I'll share how exactly I made the tree, but today is just full-on holiday decor pics.

At first I was going to wrap the red glass bead garland around the tree and call it good, but it became obvious the moss was kind of a dark light-sink and I needed to add lights. Yes, the star is a tillandsia and that's another moss tree up on the mantel.

I've only made two wreaths this year, this one a combination of Mahonia x media 'Marvel' and Disporum longistylum 'Night Heron'

It's aging quite well, thankfully. You never know how unusual materials will react to being used in a wreath.

Looking at the mantel, left to right.

Yes, those are two more moss trees. I've had these three metal forms (now covered with moss) since the mid-90's, when I bought them at a Nordstrom after Christmas sale (they turn up in nearly every Christmas decor post that I've done). The elephant in the room, or bird on the branch, was an unplanned addition that just flew in. It helped to make sense of the Arctostaphylos branch I'd added but wasn't really working the way I'd hoped.

A mossy log (a thick branch-sized log, but a log none-the-less) anchors the elements and almost disappears, reading as a green base.

I was thrilled to find small poinsettias, as I wanted their red, but in a small dose to balance the red ribbon, beaded garland, and eventually the red bird.

I've lost track of where I found the interesting conifer cones.

The sparkle wreath, snow flake, and ornaments have been with me for years.

The third small moss tree got lights.

Looking back to the left...

The front-door wreath is also moss, and there are lights that I keep forgetting to turn on. Although it looks like they were on when I took this photo.

The aluminum wreath is up in the bedroom.

The only other decorations are in the bathroom where things are bright.

This little framed tree image dates way back as well. I'm always happy when I can work it into the holiday mix.

I did eventually add a star to the top of the glass ornament tree. I can't believe I uploaded the earlier photo without one.

So that's Christmas '25 here...what does it look like at your house?

The Bit at the End

Today I've got two Instagram Reels that show people getting creative and making Christmas trees out of twigs, vines, and other found bits of nature. First: "Built from fallen branches, seed pods and fresh botanicals" and this one: "Last year we made a base scaffold in the shape of a "fir tree" out of stable branches and then wrapped it with wild clematis branches" enjoy!

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.