If you live in a warmer climate, this planter project can be a great holiday gift for a fellow gardener in your life. Although poinsettias might seem like the logical choice, I wanted to accent blues and silvers instead, so I chose blue lobelia and white alyssum, and embellished the candleholders with blue and silver sparkly snowflakes. You could even use a longer planter box and create a non-traditional menorah – the possibilities are endless!
What You Need:
- Windowbox planter planted with your choice of plants
- 5 glass votive candleholders and candles
- Decorations for candleholders if desired (I used adhesive sparkly snowflakes from the scrapbooking section of the craft store)
- 5 plant props – 18″
- Glue gun
- Wire cutters
What to Do:
- Begin by removing the paper tags from the plant props. If sticky residue remains, wipe it off with rubbing alcohol.
- Using wire cutters, trim the plant props to the appropriate length to hold your candles at the heights you desire.
- My center candle is 15″, with the next two 13″, and the outside candles 11″ tall.
- These heights will vary depending on the plants you use – keep the candles high enough that any heat produced won’t harm the plants.
- Adjust the loop of the plant prop so it will hold the candle as level as possible.
- Turn the candleholders upside-down and apply a thick layer of hot glue to the bottom. Press the loop of the plant prop into the glue and allow to dry and cool completely.
- Add any embellishments you like to the candleholders.
- Push the plant props holding the candles into place in the planter’s soil.
I added a little extra “sparkle” with some crystal bead decorations I had on hand. Remember to be cautious when the candles are lit; check to be sure the plants aren’t becoming wilty from the heat, and take all necessary fire precautions. You can avoid these concerns by substituting battery-powered tealights instead, if you like. Happy decorating!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
…. and when the glue heats up under the candle holders, they fall over and catch everything on fire. :/ I would strongly suggest you use the battery operated tea lights.
Or, you could use “Goop” glue, and it won’t melt, if you like the true candles…or use a wire that encompasses the whole glass that you don’t have to glue.
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