The Cottage Smallholder


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Easter tree

Easter treeI have never made an Easter tree before. In fact I didn’t know about them until I saw one at Carol’s house. She had made it for her grandchildren to enjoy. And she loved it too.

A few weeks ago I chatted to Nicky who tends Anne Mary’s garden.
“I always make an Easter tree. I used to pretend that it was for the children but now they’ve grown up I’ve realised that it was always for me.”

Nicky added that if you leave the twigs in water they will eventually develop roots and you can plant these to make new hedges or trees for free.

Then I read this wonderful post on a good blog – finding simplicity that I have been enjoying recently.

I love the Norwegian tradition of cutting birch twigs and bringing Spring into the house a few days before Easter Sunday. The buds should unfurl into bright green leaves within a snatch of days. Put the vase somewhere warm a few days before the festival.

My tree doesn’t have the traditional Norwegian coloured feathers. The branches are beech rather than birch. But it was fun collecting the twigs and it’s the perfect opportunity to show off my friend Tessa’s present of delicate, decorative eggs. I’m already impatient for the leaves to appear and also to find our large box of Easter decorations. Lost and cheeping soundlessly somewhere in the cottage.


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13 Comments

  1. Hello!! Lovely to be here again. We did an Easter tree too this year. I bought a box of small wooden decorations before I went in. They were supposed to be a nice distraction/something for the boys to do while I was away. As I was fortunate enough to come home on Good Friday it was a team effort. I hung the last one on the tree and my heart literally sang as I was there to be part of it.

  2. Fiona Nevile

    Hi Sharon J

    I am delighted with my Easter tree. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Hi Magic Cochin

    Inca managed to get onto the table but miraculously the tree survived!

    Hi Stephen

    Yes this would be a wonderful project to do with children. I loved painting eggs when I was a child too.

    Hi Sally

    I know the feeling. It™s all a question of time.

    The little tree didn™t take long to make as I had the decorations to hand.

    Hi Amalee Issa

    Maybe I™ll do some photos over the Easter weekend. You are beating me down!

    Hi nà

    Happy Easter to you to nà. Thanks for dropping by.

    Hi Kate(uk)

    Dogwood cuttings would look superb!

    Hi Mildred

    Poor you. The tree must have done so much damage and made such a mess. I do hope that you get straight soon.

  3. Mildred

    Quote: ‘It was fun collecting the twigs’ . . . oh Fi, how I smiled. A neighbour’s 120ft Cypress tree was blown over during the gales into our garden earlier this month. A team of professional Tree Surgeons removed it (plus 2 others brought down at the same time). We have spent countless hours collecting twigs and debris from borders, paths and gravel areas, during the past week . . . I wouldn’t have called it FUN, and I certainly have no intention of bedecking the inside of the house with twigs!!!

  4. Kate(uk)

    I started doing an easter tree when we lived in Holland- I use the cuttings from pruning the dogwood bushes in the garden,lovely!

  5. yay for easter trees! my mum always does one too, we learnt the idea from some german friends of ours, and they are so bright and pretty! i’ve never done one here in italy, but now i want to!

    happy easter weekend to you!

  6. amalee issa

    Fiona? You can’t avoid that rammel in your barn forever. Go on, take a few photos and post them up.

  7. I hardly do anything for Easter, but I like the twig idea. I keep meaning to do things like paint eggs and give them as presents, but they remain, just that – an idea. I’m going to make an effort next year.

  8. stephen

    unfortunatley being cat breeders a tree like that wouldnt stand a chance in our house!! very pretty tho and a wonderfull idea if you have young children… i used to love painting eggs for easter when i was a little boy! 🙂

  9. magic cochin

    A tree with eggs and coloured feathers – I know two furry felines who would think this was a treat made just for them 😉

    Celia

  10. Sharon J

    I’m so pleased to have inspired you 🙂

    Unfortunately I’m not able to get out at the moment but my partner’s coming up on Friday for a week so he’ll find me some twigs, I’m sure.

    Yours look stunning already, even without their leaves!

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