How To Make An Outdoor Christmas Planter in 8 Easy Steps

by Jen @ RamblingRenovators - Thursday, November 29, 2018

For the last few years, I've tried to make outdoor Christmas planters - but this DIY project was seldom easy. Do you struggle with making a Christmas planter? I did too. I'd gather my greenery, get inspiration from Pinterest, get my soil, my gloves, and all the tools. And I'd put them together and... they would look NOTHING like the ones at the local nursery :( But this year I was determined to make an outdoor Christmas planter that I could be proud of. Christmas urns placed on either side of your walkway are such a classic and welcoming look for the holidays.

The key to my success with this Christmas decor DIY was when I finally landed upon a recipe: my own 8-step process to planter making. Creating an outdoor Christmas planter that looks as good as the ones you buy in store CAN be a do-it-yourself project, if you have the right steps. Here's how to make an outdoor Christmas planter - the easy way!

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How To Make An Outdoor Christmas Planter

I think the problem was I was overthinking every.single.step. I stressed over what urn fillers and fresh greenery to use. I worried so much about how each individual branch would look that by the time I got to the end of it, none of the branches worked in relation to one another. Does that make sense??

I shared this on my Instagram stories and got such a positive response that I decided to archive and share it here too. In case you feel like you're overthinking your Christmas planter, here's a recipe to get it done. Don't think - just do!

STEP 1: Gather Your Materials

To make your Christmas planter look interesting, you'll need a variety of materials. How you decorate an outdoor planter is a personal preference but it's best to use materials that have different heights, textures, and colours. For this Christmas urn, I used birch branches, 3-4 types of boughs, and 3-4 accent greenery or accessories.

Faux Branches and Sprays

If you can't find fresh branches or don't have a wide variety available in your area, you can still create this look using fake branches and greenery. As a bonus, artificial branches, sprays, and berries will outlast the holiday season and you can use them year after year to create your outdoor urn.

TIP: Shop a collection of real-looking faux branches HERE or see the materials at the end of this post.

STEP 2: Insert Your Birch Branches

The birch branches form the foundation of your arrangement. Your branches shouldn't be too tall and overpower the display. Cut them down to size if needed. You can also use a wide bundle of smaller branches instead of the birch. Anything with height and volume will work.

STEP 3: Insert The Hardiest Boughs

The sturdiest, most defined, boughs should be inserted first. They form the backdrop to all the other elements in the planter. In my case, this was the Silver Fir. Silver Fir has nice strong branches with many offshoots. You only need two or three large branches to fill your pot.

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STEP 4: Add Additional Boughs

In this step, you want to add structure to the front of our arrangement. Western Red Cedar has a nice vibrant lime green colour that works well against the darker Silver Fir. It's leaves are smaller and more dense, bringing a softness to the planter.

STEP 5: Layer In Boughs That Drape

For this step, use greenery that has movement and shape. These Princess Pine bows feel dramatic and will move nicely in the winter winds. Insert some of these bows more vertically, to give your arrangement height.