by Pamela Kay

Created on: December 16, 2011   Last Updated: December 17, 2011

By the time December arrives, most gardens are rather drab in their winter dress, but you can decorate your garden for Christmas even on a budget. Check thrift shops and flea markets for items to use and then deck your garden with trees, lights and bows.

*Christmas Tree For The Wildlife

Create a shimmering Christmas tree for the birds and other wildlife that live nearby. The lights will generate a little warmth on cold days and who knows; maybe a bird will nest in the tree at night.

Use plain old pine cones as the ornaments. Stuff them with peanut butter or lard and roll in birdseed or oatmeal. Make strands of popcorn to drape around the tree but be sure to use plain popcorn that has no salt.

Hang small ears of dried corn with pieces of red yarn. You can also cut Christmas shapes from cardboard, coat with peanut butter and sprinkle on the birdseed.

*Light It Up

Turn your garden into a winter wonderland with inexpensive white Christmas lights, which you will find very cheap at any Dollar Store! Light a tree, a rose bush, or string them between stakes. Use chicken wire to make a large deer, star, sleigh, tree or balls and light them up.

*Use What You Have

Use whatever you already have and think “Christmas”. Do you have garden gnomes? Create a garden scene with a Christmas tree and presents the gnomes are exchanging, or have them decorating a tree. Give each gnome an inexpensive Santa hat for a great finishing touch.

A wheelbarrow full of silk poinsettias or evergreen boughs tied with a large red ribbon is one easy idea for decorating your garden for Christmas on a budget. No wheelbarrow? Try a bushel basket, a watering can, a large flowerpot or a wooden box.

*Decorate Arches, Fences And Gates

Tie bows on fences and hang a wreath on the gates. You could also make a swag for your fence using dried vines or boughs of evergreen you can find in the woods for free. Add a few sprigs of red berries and a bow for a cheerful garden.

Another inexpensive option for arches, fences and gates is icicle lights or a strand of lights. You can create an arch at the entrance to the garden with PVC pipe.

*Make Dried “Weed” Bouquets

Save your okra stalks and spray them gold or silver for a huge outdoor Christmas bouquet. Gather dried “weeds” along the roadside, such as goldenrod, ironweed, Joe Pye, curly dock, Texas thistle, cow parsnip, cattails, milkweed, viper’s bugloss (also known as blueweed) or whatever grows in your part of the country, dry them and spray them red, gold or silver for a showy Christmas bouquet in the garden. If they have any buds or spent flowers cover them with glue and sprinkle on the glitter.

Now, that you know how to decorate a garden for Christmas when on a budget, make yours into a winter wonderland. Your family will thank you, the neighbors will thank you and so will the wildlife that live in your area.

Learn more about this author, Pamela Kay.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.