Wishing you a bush-themed Christmas

As many of you would know, we’re incredibly proud of the botanical art created by a Botanical artist especially for our Koala Eco labels. The starburst white flowers of lemon myrtle against a backdrop of vibrant green. The elegant spears of Eucalyptus leaves, the creamy clusters and dense feathery leaves of Rosalina, the ready-to-eat fullness of a ripe mandarin.

What if this bounty of the bush could inspire a bush-themed Christmas table decor? While many of these native plants may not be in flower come Christmas—perhaps a blessing for anyone who struggles with pollen—their leaves will still be around in abundance, and they will make beautiful and fragrant decorations on your table and around your home.

You could go minimal—maybe a trail of luxuriant sprigs of rosemary down the centre, punctuated by gumnuts, on top of crisp white linen—or gather blooms and foliage that you can bunch into pots or use to make a feature decoration in the centre. The key to either way is foraging for what’s native and naturally abundant around you.  

If you lean towards the ‘more is more’ aesthetic, a mismatch of vessels spilling with leaves and blossoms is more interesting than keeping everything the same.  If you have a beautiful wooden table that gracefully wears the patina of age and won’t be destroyed by spillages, perhaps a table covering isn’t necessary, though linen napkins are a nice touch. Candles (non-scented) are a must (we think) if you are planning an evening meal. We love chunky white pillar candles.

Your personal choice will dictate whether plain white crockery is more to your taste, or if you’re a fan of the opp-shop approach: recycling plates that don’t match yet maybe harmonise in tone and colour. Your choice of glassware can also respond in kind.  

For a personalised touch to placement, we came across this lovely idea from interior design studio https://eclecticcreative.com.au/ Using a white calligraphy pen (and your best handwriting) write the name of each guest on a gum leaf, and put by their table setting. Foliage from gum trees also makes wonderful wreaths: we’ve added a post about how you can make your own.

Finally, if a bush-themed festive table and home appeals, what about making some dishes from bush ingredients? There are many incredible and not too difficult recipes to be found online.

Feast on the bounty of this land!