Outdoor Winter Urn in March

Well, it's finally March. Yet, it certainly doesn't feel like it.

For those skeptics out there, I just wanted to prove that winter urn designs, made with evergreen boughs and accents can endure the winter and look half decent. These are mine out front. Made early last December, they still look alright.

This one has signs of winter sun burn on the cedar boughs, but apart from that... no needle casts = success!

Problem now: it looks too 'Christmasy' and festive for this time of year. What to do?!

This is where accents can be removed and where others can be inserted.  However, when the weather is still -10 degrees or more out there, you can run into difficulty switching items.


Two options to remove:

1.) Cut the accents out

2.) Bring the container indoors to warm up over a day or two or pour boiling water around the accents and wiggle till they pop out.

Another option: never add accents in the first place that are overly festive. Accents like fruit, vine balls and neutral coloured items have far more longevity in their wear and use beyond Christmas than just red, silver and gold accents.

I usually do this switch over of accents after Valentine's Day, given red still fits the season for February. Although, we had another blast of winter and my urns were covered with snow.

I got these berry stems and pussy willow accents at the dollar store. Adding these and removing the red ornaments is all I need to do to add a touch of spring likeness.  Once the soil thaws and heavy deep freezing weather pass, I'll be making official spring urns. But until then - I think this is sufficient to carry me through.

I'd prefer real forced Pussy Willow stems, but with fluctuating temperatures, many of the catkins will drop and it's not worth the money nor the effort. For now the dollar store items will do and they will last for next year's use too.

What 3 months of winter wear looks like.

Oh, if only the snow were melted and the day-time temperature was marginally higher. ;)