As a florist, Dean Wiggs wants people to buy holiday decorations at his shop. But bringing holiday cheer to the home doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and sometimes you don’t have to look farther than your backyard, he says.

Poinsettias might be a staple Christmas decoration — as co-owner of Smithfield City Florist, Wiggs will likely sell about 1,000 of them this month. But red roses and carnations can really spruce up a home too, he says.

Wreaths are always a nice touch, Wiggs says, and they can easily be made at home. Boxwood, which grows in many yards, can be used as the greenery. Just wrap it around a store-bought wreath form, Wiggs suggests.

Then add some color with red nandina, he says, and put artificial or real flowers in the mix.

“You can still have Christmas without spending a lot of money,” Wiggs says.

Lin Frye, director of the arboretum at Johnston Community College, thinks so too. Opting for “natural” decorations instead of store-bought ones has some perks, she says.

One is price. Pinecones are free, and some creativity can go a long way, Frye says. She and her students at JCC decorated their tree at this year’s Festival of Trees with things found in nature.

After putting on the lights, they adorned the tree with pinecones, gourds, ivy and cotton. “We want folks to be aware of the wealth of materials right here in our own backyards,” Frye says.

Students had grown the gourds at the arboretum, and then they spray-painted them gold. They also painted the pinecones that adorn the tree.

Painting the materials or spraying them with a lacquer will make them last longer, Frye says. “That of course seals the pores so they don’t deteriorate fast,” she says.

One challenge in using natural decorations is to keep them alive through the holidays, Wiggs says. A wreath likely won’t last longer than a week indoors if it’s not kept moist, he says.

Artificial wreaths and flowers are easiest for indoor decorating, Wiggs says, but for those who enjoy the fresh scents of nature, it is possible to add live options to the mix. If you have a live wreath, for instance, Wiggs suggests spraying it at the kitchen sink or submerge it in a basin for about 40 minutes once a week.

Frye and her students dried many of their materials before they decorated with them, she says.

For families, collecting the materials can be the best part about decorating. It’s a great way for families to spend time together while saving money, Frye says. And using natural materials can be good for the environment, since they can be put in a compost pile after the holidays, she says.