A gardeners' Christmas list 2 - Handmade decorations

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Handmade decorations

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A beautiful Christmas door decoration

As we approach Christmas, my mind turns to two things: festive decorations and handmade gifts. There’s something extra special about knowing you hand-crafted something yourself, whether a natural table ornament or a beautiful gift artfully topped with a sprig of holly. And it makes for a great conversation starter.

There’s plenty of inspiration around the Gardeners’ World website and I look forward to giving lots of them a go this festive season. I’ve got my eye on this exquisite door decoration which would look so beautiful on my front door to welcome festive visitors to my flat. It's a nice alternative to a wreath if you don't have the budget for a ready-made one, or the time to make your own. This decoration simply uses a few cuttings from a Christmas tree (if you have a real one), some foliage from your garden and LED lights.

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A selection of foraged greenery and berries at Fulham Palace

If you're hosting Christmas this year, why not add a touch of nature to the dinner table with this gorgeous centrepiece. One of the best things about Christmas is the opportunity to be as creative as you like, so head out with your secateurs and gather a mix of foliage to create a striking focal point on your festive table. Just be careful if foraging outside of your own garden - you don't want to upset any neighbours! And be responsible, only collect material that is in plentiful supply, leave plenty for wildlife, seek permission from the landowner – and ensure you're not taking rare or endangered plants.

Handmade baubles filled with material from your garden can be a thoughtful gift or a unique addition to your tree. Again there's the opportunity to be really creative here. I'd be tempted to add a mix of foliage and small crocheted Christmas characters, to add some festive cheer.

Finally, it's not really Christmas without a bit of mistletoe, so take a look at our project to create a mistletoe and box Christmas ball