Fill Your Vase With Colorful Twigs And Sticks

DESIGN | by DEBRA PRINZING

THERE’S BEAUTY IN BRANCHES. As you walk through the seasonal landscape, consider the appeal of trees and shrubs that have yet to leaf or flower. Stripped of their prosaic foliage, red and yellow twig dogwoods are dazzling. Callicarpa, also called beautyberry, has clusters of tiny lavender berries on bare branches. Stark white birch trees display a quiet drama all their own.

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Since many of season’s best specimens are in need of early pruning, consider using the cuttings indoors to decorate for the holidays and throughout the winter. There are countless possibilities beyond the ever-popular golden forsythia, a shrub well-suited for indoor floral arrangements.

These natural and low-cost (some might say “free”) design ingredients are easy to come by. Look around your own backyard or ask to lightly prune a neighbor’s landscape.

Some plants are compelling because of their bark color, shape or texture, such as the coral-bark Japanese maple tree. Bare branches are especially good in winter floral arrangements because they reflect what’s happening outdoors, in nature.

Other plants are useful in the vase because they bloom when you create a “premature springtime” indoors. In late winter, look for trees and shrubs just starting to bud, such as the flowering cherry or star magnolia. The warmth of your home will force dormant buds into blossoming in the vase.

If your garden is generous, you can enjoy branch-filled vases for weeks. Some tips:

• Cut branches on a 45-degree angle, using clean, well-sharpened pruners or secateurs.
• You may need to split or smash woody stems so they drink water more readily. Branches from the willow or dogwood family require only a fresh cut.
• Choose a vase that complements the twig color or a clear one that shows off the natural form of each branch. Use pebbles or stones to “anchor” the ingredients in your vase.