by
Charity Shumway, All About Lawns Columnist
Sure, holiday lawn ornaments are cute, but if you want a truly stunning yard this holiday season, think architectural, think organic. Your yard has a lot of assets you can highlight to turn a regular Christmas lawn display into something extraordinary:
Focus on Trees
While your dormant lawn (potentially covered in snow) may not be particularly noteworthy in December, your trees are, in fact, in a rather beautiful state. Lights wrapped around bare branches will give your yard the cozy glow that summons the feeling of the holidays so well. Moreover, they'll highlight one of your home's most appealing natural features.
Don't Forget the Flower Beds
You may be imagining a lovely Christmas display right smack in the middle of your lawn, but your flowerbeds can be another great place to infuse with a little holiday cheer. Again, lights draw attention to bushes or evergreens, but beds that are usually full of flowers make a welcome winter home for holiday "lawn" ornaments, too. A reindeer in lights? No place cuter than munching away in the flowerbed.
Light Your Paths
One of the best outdoor lawn decorations around is both utilitarian and cheery: well-lit pathways. A string of Christmas lights or a line of outdoor lights along the edges of your sidewalks will keep guests from fumbling in the dark, protect your lawn from heavy boot traffic, and draw attention to the lines of your walkway. Such a nice prelude to your inviting home!
Christmas
lawn decoration can turn into lawn art if you draw attention to the right natural features and architectural elements in your yard. Happy holidays!
Charity Shumway works for the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, a not-for-profit in New York City. Her previous experience includes programming for a business news radio station in Boston and serving as the director for several educational programs for at-risk youth. Charity holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University.
