How To Create A Natural Christmas Tablescape Using British Foliage

Still on the hunt for festive decorating ideas? The thought of yet another trip to the shops probably fills you with dread, so why not make use of your back garden’s shelves and aisles? Here’s how to create the ultimate Christmas tablescape using natural, homegrown (and foraged) materials.

How To Design A Natural Christmas Tablescape

Winter might not offer the most inspiring palette on first glance – grey skies, leaf-less branches and squelchy grasslands are enough to put most people off – but for keen foragers, it’s one of the best times of year for creating natural home displays. ‘At this time of year when we don’t have many British flowers to choose from, I love to use foraged foliage to decorate the Christmas table,’ says Hannah Bryce, grower and floral designer at Minnow and Wolf. ‘When it comes to evergreen foliage, we are spoiled for choice with holly, mistletoe, pine and woody herbs such as thyme and rosemary.’

‘Nature in December isn’t scarce but abundant in texture and structure,’ agrees luxury floral designer Hazel Gardiner. ‘Over the years we’ve built a seasonal archive of British cut flowers. In winter this includes varieties dried throughout the year such as alliums, honesty and hydrangeas, all brilliant for festive displays. Evergreens are a natural but expected choice, but instead use aromatic herbs such as rosemary and sage for fragrant additions. Beyond cyclamen there are hellebores, if available. Their flowers make exquisite table companions, with nodding heads that lend softness.

‘Festive red can be introduced with branches of dogwood, rose hips and heuchera leaves, whilst winter-flowering viburnum, clematis, heather and daphnes are all eye-catching,’ she continues. ‘These varieties can be sourced from UK growers, avoiding air miles and encouraging us to embrace the true spirit of seasonality.’

Hazel Gardiner

Top Tips From The Experts

Play With Scale

‘When designing a Christmas tablescape, I like to play with height and mix up vase shapes and sizes,’ notes Hannah. ‘The table is often filled with sharing bowls, candles and wine, so it’s important to work around this and make the most of the space you have available. By using a mixture of vases and flower frogs, you can play with height and shapes to add another dimension to the table, from a striking branch of holly in a tall vase to a pretty hellebore in a shallow bowl.’

Create A Living Runner

One thing Hazel likes to do with her natural Christmas tablescape is create a living runner through the centre. Her top pick for the feature? ‘I adore the simplicity and beauty of trailing clematis vitalba – harvested when abundant with feathery white seed heads, it nods to winter beautifully and looks magical paired with candlelight,’ she says. ‘Using seasonally rich materials in assorted bud vases is also always effective. The key is to work with what is abundant and personally resonant. By making a table personal, foraged and generous with texture, it always feels festive without being formulaic.’

Make It Good Enough To Eat

A tasty tablescape? Don’t mind if we do. ‘A clever trick for interiors is to weave in edibles – either loose on tables or mounted on floristry picks,’ says Hazel. ‘Pomegranates and persimmons look as decorative as any flower, and last longer too.’

Tailor To The Table

While maybe not front of mind, working with (rather than against) the size and shape of your table can help guide the direction of your festive tablescape. ‘Forced bulbs such as paperwhites, hyacinths and amaryllis in pots make a great centrepiece if you have a round table,’ says Hannah. ‘You could even add mini Christmas trees in pots tied with a ribbon.’

As for traditional long tables: ‘Add individual arrangements down the centre. Bud vases work well for this.’

Hazel Gardiner

Bring On The Drama

Just because it’s not decked out with twinkling lights and glitter doesn’t mean you can’t give a natural tablescape some festive wow factor. ‘Don’t be afraid of using a single variety en masse for drama – we’ve created striking arrangements simply using garrya with its pendulous silver catkins or oversized vases of twisted hazel branches,’ highlights Hazel. Or, alternatively: ‘A hanging design such as foraged branch suspended above a table, hung with sun blazed bracken creates an instant focal point.’

Appeal To The Senses

What about finishing touches that not only look great, but smell amazing too? ‘If space allows, try scattering pine cones on the table or scented fruit such as dried oranges and limes,’ suggests Hannah. ‘Star anise and cinnamon adds the scent of mulled wine to the table. For a pretty finishing touch, add clementines, a sprig of pine or rosemary to each napkin. You could also add star anise or dried flowers to napkins, tied with a ribbon for guests to take home and add to their Christmas tree.’

Add Layers

Don’t be afraid to mix things up – be playful with your arrangements. ‘To add a feeling of luxury to the table, add ribbons to your candle holders,’ suggests Hannah. ‘You can layer up the ribbons for a dramatic effect. For the ultimate indulgence, add silver terrines along the table overflowing with chestnuts, clementines, grapes, pears and pomegranates to add drama.’

Give The Gift Of A Great Tablescape

The thought of so much flora on the table might make one pause, if only for the thought of clean up afterwards. But fear not, Hazel has just the thing: ‘I love to use masses of hyacinths and paperwhite bulbs in aged terracotta pots of various sizes. These varieties can be coaxed into bloom when brought inside. Cover bare soil with moss and add individual small branches for depth. You can then gift these to dining guests afterwards, extending the life of the arrangement, avoiding waste and the perfect festive gift.’