If you are looking for a unique or non-traditional way to decorate this year, a festive floral tree is a stunning alternative to conventional decor. Creating a festive floral Christmas tree is a wonderful way to bring a unique and elegant touch to your holiday decor. Using beautiful silk flower decorations on your Christmas tree with flowers, can transform it into a stunning centrepiece. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to create your own floral masterpiece, offering helpful advice and creative ideas. Whether you are new to the idea or looking for fresh inspiration, you will find everything you need to know right here.
What is a Floral Christmas Tree?
A floral Christmas tree is a tree decorated with flowers as a primary design element. Instead of relying only on traditional baubles and tinsel, this style uses artificial flowers to add texture, colour, and a touch of nature to the festive display. It is a creative approach that allows for endless colour combinations and themes, from a rustic look with whites and greens to a vibrant, colourful celebration. The use of high-quality artificial flowers, like the ones you can find in our flower stem collection, ensures that your tree looks fresh and beautiful throughout the entire holiday season. This method is not only beautiful but also practical, as the flowers can be stored and reused for many years.
Popular Colour Trends for the Holidays
Choosing a colour scheme is the first step in creating a cohesive look. This year, several exciting colour trends can inspire your festive floral tree. One popular trend is a modern take on the classic red and green. Think deep cranberry and rich moss green instead of bright, primary shades. This creates a sophisticated and warm atmosphere.
Of course. For a summer Christmas, like in South Africa, the colour trends move away from the traditional wintery palettes of the Northern Hemisphere and embrace the warmth, light, and natural beauty of the season. Here are some popular colour trends for a South African Christmas:
Coastal Blues and Sandy Neutrals: Inspired by the extensive coastline, a very popular theme uses colours like sandy beige, soft whites, and shades of turquoise and teal. This creates a relaxed, beach-house feel. Decorations often include natural elements like seashells, driftwood, and silver accents that mimic the glistening water.
Vibrant Tropical Hues: To celebrate the summer sun, many people opt for a bright and cheerful palette. Think hot pink, lime green, sunny yellow, and vibrant orange. This trend often incorporates tropical flowers like hibiscus, local flora like proteas, and even fruit motifs such as pineapples and watermelons to create a festive, high-energy atmosphere.
Earthy and Natural Tones: Drawing inspiration from the African bushveld, this trend uses a sophisticated palette of earthy neutrals. Colours like terracotta, sage green, creamy whites, and warm browns create a calm and grounded feel. This is often paired with natural textures like wood, linen, and jute, along with greenery from local plants like fynbos and eucalyptus.
Blush Pink and Champagne: For a modern and elegant look, a combination of soft blush pink and warm champagne gold is very fashionable. This palette offers a romantic and sophisticated twist on festive decor, creating a light and airy feel that is perfect for a warm summer’s day.
Classic with a Summer Twist: For those who still love the traditional colours, the trend is to give them a summer update. Instead of deep forest green, a lighter, brighter lime green is used. The classic red is often a warmer, more vibrant shade. These are then paired with crisp whites and natural elements to feel less heavy and more appropriate for the season.
These trends all focus on celebrating the unique environment and climate of a South African Christmas, allowing for a festive style that is both beautiful and authentic to the location.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Floral Decoration
Decorating your tree with flowers is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to ensure a balanced and beautiful result.
Step 1: Select Your Flowers and Theme
First, decide on your overall theme and colour palette. Based on this, select your main flowers. Larger blooms like roses, hydrangeas, or magnolias work well as focal points. Then, choose smaller accent flowers and greenery to fill in the gaps. For a classic look, consider using poinsettias. Remember to select flowers with sturdy stems that can be easily tucked into the tree branches.
While using fresh flowers is possible and can look beautiful for a short period, they require daily maintenance and careful safety considerations (water and electric lights). For a beautiful floral tree that lasts the entire season without any effort or risk, high-quality artificial flowers are the more practical and reliable choice.
Step 2: Prepare Your Tree
Start with a well shaped artificial Christmas tree. Make sure the branches are properly fluffed and arranged to create a full canvas for your decorations. Before you begin adding anything, ensure your tree is stable and secure in its stand.
Step 3: Add Lights and Ribbons First
Before placing any flowers, wrap your tree with string lights. Start from the bottom and work your way up, weaving the lights in and around the branches. After the lights, you can add any ribbons or garlands you wish to use. This creates a beautiful base layer for your floral arrangements.
Step 4: Place Your Main Flowers
Now it is time for the flowers. Begin with your largest blooms. Place them evenly around the tree, tucking the stems securely into the branches. You can arrange them in a cascading pattern, a spiral, or simply spread them out to create focal points. These large flowers will define the structure of your design. Do not push them flat against the branches; allow them to stick out slightly for a more natural, three dimensional look.
Combining individual stems into a bundle, or a small posy, is a fantastic technique used by professional decorators to create a high-impact, designer look on a Christmas tree. A larger bundle is a perfect way to fill that space with lush texture and colour. Read: How to Create Stunning Flower Bundles for Your Christmas Tree.
Securing the flower stems to the tree properly ensures your decorations look intentional and stay in place throughout the festive season.
- The Simple Tuck method is perfect for lighter flowers. Simply take the flower stem and tuck it directly into the tree, pushing it back until it feels secure amongst the dense inner branches. Place the stem alongside a sturdy branch rather than just resting it on the soft needles. This gives it more support. This method is quick, easy, and allows you to rearrange the flowers effortlessly.
- For heavier blooms like large magnolias or hydrangeas, or for trees in high-traffic areas, using green Floral Wire is the best choice. Cut a piece of wire about 15-20 cm long. Wrap one end of the wire securely around the base of the flower’s stem. Place the flower exactly where you want it on a branch. Use the “tails” of the wire to wrap around the tree branch, twisting them together to secure the flower tightly. Tuck any sharp ends of the wire back into the tree to hide them. This ensures your flowers will not move at all, even if the tree is accidentally bumped.
Step 5: Fill in with Smaller Blooms
Once your main flowers are in place, use your smaller accent flowers to fill in the spaces. This is where you can add different textures and colours. Flowers like baby’s breath or small berry sprays are perfect for this. Distribute them evenly to complement the larger flowers and create a full, lush appearance.
You can find a wide variety of accent stems in our Leaves and Fillers collection.
Step 6: Add Final Touches
Step back and look at your tree from all angles. If you see any empty spots, fill them with more small flowers or greenery. You can also add a few traditional ornaments or a beautiful tree topper that complements your floral theme. The goal is to create a balanced design that looks beautiful from every viewpoint.
Creating a floral Christmas tree is a rewarding experience that adds a personal and creative touch to your home. By choosing high quality silk flowers, you can design a beautiful tree that will be a centrepiece of your holiday celebrations for years to come. Do not be afraid to experiment with different colours and flower types to create a festive floral tree that truly reflects your style.
One of the greatest advantages of using high-quality artificial flowers for your Christmas tree is that they can be carefully stored and reused for many years to come. They are a wonderful investment for your festive decor collection. Avoid storing your flowers in a soft bag where they can be crushed. It is best to use a sturdy plastic storage bin or a cardboard box with a lid. This will protect them from being squashed by other decorations. By following these simple steps, you can protect your artificial flower decorations and ensure they remain a stunning part of your festive traditions for many seasons.