Apart from the Christmas tree and other seasonal decorations, there are all sorts of suitable floral design ideas for the holidays. Flowers are one of the top sellers during the holiday season. Floral purchases during the Christmas season account for 30% of annual floral sales.

There are many wonderful ways for floral designers to display poinsettias. Start with a large, premium quality plant. These will last for weeks and weeks. Place the pot in an attractive basket of some sort. On top of the soil, place some pine cones, and some round Christmas ornaments. Glittery ones decorated with red/green work very well for this.

Don’t be surprised if you see painted poinsettias this season. Europeans have been buying these items for some years now. Greenhouse owners use special spray paints that are designed specifically for plants. More than likely, this will be a pricy item. I can hardy wait for these to arrive at garden centers. The colors will likely include orange, purple, and blue as well as others. In addition to these solid colors, the poinsettias may also be decorated with special glitter in various metallic tones.

When it comes time to choose your holiday poinsettias, watch for poinsettia trials in your area. I live in western North Carolina, and one of the larger greenhouses is holding a special open house. Such events give a good idea of what colors and kinds of poinsettias will be available on the market.

In addition to the usual full-size plants, the miniature holiday poinsettias are a wonderful floral design idea. Typically these are sold in special containers, often ones with a holiday theme. The different kinds of special pots include wicker, totes, and ceramic. One is even a mantle stocking holder. There is no shortage of ways floral designers can use these mini plants throughout the house.

When you head out to shop for poinsettias, you’ll find a vast array of colors available. Reds still make up around 75% of poinsettia sales. Yet, so many novelty colors and kinds are available. There’s no reason to settle for the ordinary.

Poinsettias now come in all shades of red, pink, white, cream, green,
yellow and reddish-purple. Some will have solid color bracts, while others may be variegated or splashed with other tones. The texture of the leaves can also add beauty to the holiday season. Fancy-leaved ones with puckered foliage are very attractive. Variegated foliage can also add visual interest to the plant.

Along with the ordinary poinsettias, you’ll find ones trained as standards or trees. These do cost a little more. Because they are so attractive, they’re really worth it.

One of my favorites remains the Winter Rose poinsettia series with beautifully crinkled foliage. The Premium Picasso is also quite lovely. This blushing bicolor looks as if it started out red and was sprinkled with white.

Concerning other holiday florals, fruits are great for seasonal arrangements. For centerpieces, mix and match them with various kinds of flowers. Almost any kind of red or white blossoms will do for this.

Wonderful designs can be made with fruits. Combine ordinary ones, like pears and apples, with uncommon kinds, such as pomegranates, persimmons, and pineapples.

Many people now prefer an uncluttered decorating scheme. For that reason, Japanese floral arrangements are just perfect. You’ll find no shortage of ideas and projects in “Inspired Flower Arrangements’ by Toshiro Kawase. It was published by Kodansha America. The author is a renowned Japanese floral designer whose work appears frequently in magazines. This designer relies on nature for inspiration, and his goal is to bring a touch of nature to the indoors. Abandoning the usual aesthetic rules with regard to Japanese design, he creates stunning designs that speak to the heart. Some of the designs provide seasonal interest, while others would be suitable year-round. For each of the designs depicted here in gorgeous, full color, he provides a list of materials and an explanation of the idea behind the work. In addition, the author presents an engrossing historical account on Japanese floral design.

Many kinds of arrangements are suitable for the holidays. Among these are topiaries, swags, and wreaths as well as designs done in baskets and urns. For novice floral designers and craftspeople wanting quick and easy ideas for the holidays and other occasions, Jo-Ann Stores has published a wonderful guide. “Your Guide to Creativity” features floral design and twenty other kinds of arts and crafts, including sewing, decorating, and quilting. For each section, Jo-Ann’s provides easy, color-illustrated, step-by-step instructions. This comprehensive sourcebook is a guide to over 175 different techniques. Thanks to this book, anyone can succeed at floral design. There are directions for simple, quick swags, easy wreaths, and unusual containers. They even include a section on making bows. In addition, there is a special section on designs for weddings. Jo-Ann Stores is America’s leading crafts and fabric retailer with around a thousand stores nationwide. This is truly one-stop shopping for creative people. Jo-Ann Stores also published a title on quilting as well.

Whether you go with a simple grapevine swag shown in Jo-Ann’s title, or choose some of the cutting edge Japanese designs or painted poinsettias, the holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your creative efforts.