• Tip 1: Before purchasing real greenery, you should know that most real greenery will only last ndoors for about two weeks. This means you need to be very intentional about the timing of your purchase. Purchase too early and your beautifully decorated mantle will look sad and lifeless well before Christmas. However, some greenery will last for more than two weeks if being used outdoors, especially in colder climates.

• Tip 2: You may be able to prolong the life of your greenery display by using long-needled greenery, which tends to live longer than greenery with short needles. It could be due to the longer needles retaining more moisture. You can also extend the life with a sealing spray. An anti-transpirant or an anti-desiccant spray will assist with keeping moisture locked in and can be found in most garden centers or nurseries.

• Tip 3: Keeping your fresh greenery away from direct sunlight and heat sources is important as it will dry out much more quickly. This tip is tricky because some of the most common places to display the decor are over the fireplace or on the front door. Which makes the next tip vital to the health of your greenery.

• Tip 4: Make sure to keep the greenery watered. You’ll want to do this by, first, soaking it. After cutting or purchasing your pre-cut greenery, submerge it in water. The whole thing. Just dunk it and leave it to soak for 24 hours. This allows the cut portion of the branch and the needles to absorb as much water as possible. After 24 hours allow it to dry completely and then you can give it a healthy spray with sealant. Once the sealant dries you can begin decorating. Spritz the whole thing with water every 1-2 days to keep it looking hydrated and healthy.

• Pine is great for simple garlands, wreaths or swags. Many types of pine have branches that are not as strong as some other types of greenery, so it may not be able to withstand heavy decorations being added to it. It’s fairly long-lasting, perhaps due to the moisture held in its long needles, and it’s fragrant, so it will fill your home with a fresh, outdoorsy aroma.

• Cedar is beautiful when used as a garland or as a swag because of the dramatic way it drapes downward. It has long needles, is fragrant and is just as lovely dressed up with pinecones and ribbons as it is simply undressed.

• Spruce is most commonly used for wreaths but should be done so carefully as the branches are rigid so bending them could cause them to easily snap. The short, sharp needles of spruce create fun little puffs of color that can vary from dark green to frosty blue.

• Fir is one of the more heat-tolerant varieties and is great for indoor arrangements, like garlands. Despite it having short needles, it’s hardy and long-lasting. The diversity of firs produce a variety of dark green and blue-green colors, both glossy and matte.

• Juniper is fragrant greenery that can be long-lasting depending on the type of juniper branch. Colors range from green to silver-blue and some types of juniper even produce small frosty blue berries. It’s often used in outdoor decorations, such as wreaths.

• Boxwood is a long-lasting and very fragrant leaf-type greenery, opposed to having needles. It’s most commonly used in wreaths and adds a beautiful contrast when decorated with red berries or ribbons.

• Eucalyptus is also a leaf-type greenery that has a delightfully fresh aroma making it one of the more popular greeneries. It’s a wonderful addition to floral arrangements, wreaths, swags or as a stand-alone garland. The downside of using eucalyptus is that it dries fairly quickly, so keep that in mind when you’re considering when to purchase, cut and place it.

• Magnolia is another leaf-type greenery with glossy dark green on one side of the leaf and an almost velvety, dark rust orange color on the backside. It’s super hardy, heat-tolerant and can even be gilded!