How to Make a Faux Garland Look Realistic

One of my favorite decorations for the holidays is a pretty garland! However, they can be very pricey. I was determined to use inexpensive faux garland and try to make it look a bit more realistic! I’m happy to say that I think I succeeded. Nothing beats real greenery in my opinion, but having a garland that doesn’t shed is a bonus so I am alright with going the faux route for this.

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What You Need

Faux pine garland
Faux eucalyptus garland
Scissors
Ribbon of choice for hanging (I used black velvet)

The Process

I shared the process in video on Instagram – be sure to check it out!

Start by hanging your pine garland as you want it to be displayed. I simply used the ribbon to tie it to my stair railing and on the mantle I rested the garland in place and didn’t use anything to attach it. Once the pine garland was hung I fluffed each branch until it looked the way I wanted.

Once you have the pine garland hung you want to cut the individual stems of the eucalyptus garland off.

You will use the individual eucalyptus pieces and place them throughout the pine garland. I did not attach my eucalyptus pieces to the pine garland – I simply stuck them in between the pine branches. This is what really helps fill the garland out and give it a more realistic look! The more eucalyptus pieces you add the better in my opinion. The above picture was mid adding eucalyptus leaves. I took a picture so I could more easily determine if I needed more, and I decided I did!

You could attach the eucalyptus pieces with floral wire if you wanted it to be more secure! I plan on removing the eucalyptus pieces when I take the garland down and storing them in a plastic bag so they don’t get all scrunched up with the garland!

That is all there is to it! Doing a garland on my mantle and two garlands on my stair railing took me about 30 minutes total! Worth it to have a faux garland that looks more realistic and can be used for years to come!