The festive season is fast approaching, and what better way to spread the Christmas spirit than by decorating your front door? The front door is the first thing that your guests see, so why not make a lasting impression with a beautiful and magical decoration scheme?

British Garden Centres (BGC) have launched a brand-new competition on their website, Decorate your Door for Christmas and you could be in with a chance of winning some great prizes! This festive season BGC are giving away £300 worth of prizes to some of the best-dressed doors around the country and the guide below features some top tips to make your entrance sparkle this Christmas.

Welcoming Wreaths

A good way to start decorating your home for Christmas is by hanging a seasonal wreath on your front door. A traditional evergreen wreath with red bows baubles and holly, or a modern wreath with metallic accents, can both set the tone for your Christmas home. Making a wreath is an enjoyable activity that both adults and children will enjoy, and it can bring your front door to life. You can either buy a wreath-making kit from your local British Garden Centre or use florist wire and plants foraged from your garden to create your wreath.

Using evergreen plants like conifer sprays, pine, moss, mistletoe or eucalyptus, and ivy as the base for your wreath is ideal. You can complement it with winter colour with bright Cornus stems, seasonal pyracantha berries, rose hips, dried lavender, and scented fruit to complete the look.

Or why not try framing your door with a garland from a garden centre, or you can put together your own with foliage, trailing plants baubles, bows, or pinecones to create a welcoming entrance.

Festive Accessories

Don’t overlook the opportunity to add a festive touch to your feet. Swap out your everyday doormat for one that embraces the Christmas spirit.  Hang ornaments or string lights along the perimeter of your front door to add a touch of sparkle, or cluster lanterns or LED presents on your porch step. This simple addition can instantly transform your entryway into a winter wonderland.

Consider adding a personalised sign asking Santa to stop here or a welcoming holiday message, a quote, or a playful seasonal pun, signage can add personality and charm to the front door.

Lighting

Christmas lighting not only adds a decorative feature to your front door but also brings together all the elements of your decoration and will attract the attention of passers-by.

Why not try using LED icicle lights as they look very festive when hung around the porch or you’re your doorframe? Ice white is typically wintery, but you can also find different colours like, warm white, red and blue, as well as multicoloured for a modern look at your local British Garden Centres store.

Another great idea is to create a festive scene on your doorstep or front garden with LED ornaments, shapes, and animals. BGC have a wide array ranging from the traditional reindeer, polar bears and penguins to dinosaurs and inflatable snowmen to make your garden and driveway Joyeux noel!

To make your front door more eye-catching and to add sparkle, you can add large lanterns filled with baubles, ornaments, and gift boxes for the wow factor.

Winter planters

Adding simple foliage touches to your garden can help elevate the festive feeling of the season. Pot-grown Christmas trees can add a touch of magic to your porch as a beautiful decoration. You can decorate the trees with your favourite ornaments to create a magical focal point and enjoy the wonderful scent that goes hand-in-hand with this time of year. Many people believe that outdoor planters with colourful displays are only possible during the spring and summer months. However, you can still decorate your front door for Christmas with impressive winter container displays. Plants such as conifers (pine, cedar, spruce) and evergreen trees and shrubs like magnolia, eucalyptus, boxwood, holly, and ivy can be paired with pyracantha or cotoneaster berries, or bright-coloured stems like dogwood.  Evergreen grasses will provide movement and plants such as heuchera provide stunning foliage.

If you want to add an instant planter for your door, winter bedding plants like cyclamen, pansies, viola and primroses are great choices for both containers and hanging baskets. Hellebore, also known as the Christmas Rose, blooms from early January to February and can be a perfect perennial plant to brighten up your planter during the dark winter months.

To enter, simply upload your photos of your front door Christmas display to https://britishgardencentres.com/decorate-your-door-christmas-edition/