Winterberry Centerpiece

If you’re like me, you want the beauty of your garden to last as long as possible. Many of us plan our outdoor spaces for spring, summer and fall interest. But just because snow is in the forecast doesn’t mean you can’t have something to admire in your garden.

And I’m not just talking about evergreens.

While holly may spring to mind when considering evergreen shrubs for your garden, did you know that not all holly varieties are evergreens?

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), in the holly family, is deciduous. But while it loses its leaves in fall, it puts on a real winter show with its bright red fruit. This scene-stealer is hardy in zones 4 through 7 and prefers partial shade, but can take full sun in cooler climates.

Even better, winterberry branches make beautiful holiday arrangements.

If you haven’t discovered the joy of growing winterberry in your garden yet, you can always pick up some branches wherever you buy flowers and introduce some natural holiday cheer to your home.

I recently put together a simple and festive table setting for the holidays using winterberry branches.

Start with a cake stand and place a large pillar candle in the center.

Next, arrange some evergreen sprigs around the candle. I used clippings from my Christmas tree.

Then add the winterberry branches.

As a finishing touch, drop in some pinecones.

That’s it! A fast and easy holiday centerpiece that will take you a few minutes to put together.

Vanessa Tsumura is a gardener, craft writer and blogger. You can find more projects like this on her website Bluet & Clover.