Decorating the outside of the house has always been one of my favorite holiday rituals. Seeing the Christmas lights sparkling at night over the awning, trailing down in spirals to the hedges… I simply adore it. I especially love it when seasonal adornments complement the surrounding greenery.
Joanna Gaines is the master of nature-inspired decor. In an Instagram post, the designer shared her beautifully festive porch, combining soft lighting with an abundance of outdoor plants.
Joanna's chosen potted varieties tied in perfectly with her décor, even though they weren't decked out in lights and ornaments themselves. I asked experts to help identify the exact plants Joanna combined with her Christmas decorations, as well as why they work so well for the holidays.
Joanna's Porch Design Details
It can be tempting when decorating for the holidays to throw everything at it. But it's the simplicity of Joanna's porch setup that makes it so beautiful and impactful.
Oliver Burgess of Oliver Burgess Garden Design explains how the plants and minimal decor accents perfectly complement each other to curate an elegant, festive porch: "Joanna's Christmas porch works so well because it's simple, warm, and well considered. She's kept a tight palette of deep green, warm lights, and small touches of gold and red.
"The roof lights create a clean outline of the house against the dark sky, then the doorway becomes the focal point as it's framed with wreaths and greenery. All this with plenty of breathing space so the porch feels calm rather than cluttered."
If you're asking yourself, "Is my porch too cluttered?" simply take a step back and try approaching your home from the eyes of a visitor. If it looks too visually busy, you can always remove some of your holiday porch pots or make adjustments to the layout.
Joanna's Festive Plants
Evergreen trees populate most of Joanna's porch, which makes complete sense given the time of year. She's used a great variety of plants, though, thinking into dimension by positioning greenery of varying heights around the space.
Peter Ivanov, a plant and gardening expert at Fantastic Gardeners, identified some of Joanna's evergreens – all of which would be prime picks if you're hoping to DIY your own holiday porch.
"From the video, Joanna began by positioning upright potted evergreens, likely dwarf Alberta spruce, small fir, or possibly a narrow juniper," he says. "These are the tall, conical trees on either side of the doorway. They’re a staple in festive displays because they naturally give that Christmas tree silhouette.
"I also spotted mixed evergreen foliage in the lower planters, such as cedar, pine, and possibly some holly or magnolia stems. The texture looks softer and more layered beneath the taller trees. Cedar drapes nicely and adds movement, pine gives longer needles and a more feathery texture, and holly and magnolia add glossy leaves or rich colour contrast. These varieties stay attractive for weeks outdoors and are very forgiving in cold weather, making them perfect for low-maintenance festive containers."
To elevate your porch display, consider wrapping dainty string lights around your larger trees or adding small baubles or ribbons. Their colors and sparkle will pop out so cheerfully, but clip-on pinecones dusted with snow would look amazing if you're aiming for a more natural look.
Shop the Look
Imagine one (or more!) of these dwarf Alberta spruce trees decorated with dainty Christmas lights on your porch. As evergreens, they'll last long after the season ends, continuing to bring festive cheer.
These lights are a great choice if you'd like your decor to be more prominent among the greenery. But their soft silhouette and warm neutral glow won't overpower the natural scene.
These faux pieces of accent decor will slot into your porch plants effortlessly, adding another touch of the natural world and a pop of color through their glossy red berries.
