CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/597876
CityViewNC.com | 57 Real & Artificial When it comes to florals, the deco- rators are fans of mixing real and faux together. eir trick is to take artificial garland and add Christmas foliage to it. "You have the smell, but you don't have to worry about it drying out. We add Leyland cypress. It's like cedar, but it lasts longer," said McPhail. But when it comes to the perfect green Christmas tree, real is the way to go. Tim Owen of Owen Garden Center imports only the finest firs from mountainous western North Carolina. "In Fayetteville, Frasier firs are the most popular. We've tried oth- er varieties, but folks always go back." Due to humidity, artificial foliage and trees are still popular. McPhail said that the best way to make artificial look real is to really "shape" the tree or garland. "One of the biggest things I have people contact me for is putting their lights on their tree and shaping their tree. I have one client who tells me every year, 'I can't ever do it like that!' You must shape the foliage." Holiday decorating never takes away from the general business at ei- ther floral shop. Crenshaw stated, "It all comes at a good time because as far as fresh florals, that doesn't start till mid-December. We decorate homes beginning the second week of Novem- ber till the first week of December. So, we get all that out of the way. It's the perfect match." And while decorating may seem very glamourous, the job does have dangers. "Once while decorating a business, we did swags on top of their columns and I didn't realize I le my hammer on top of the ladder. When I moved the ladder, the hammer fell and clogged me on the side of the head. My grey hair turned pink, but I kept working till someone noticed!" remembered McPhail. One thing that's not in danger though, are marriages. It's widely known that most men are not the big- gest fans of decorating and especially not for Christmas. "I've probably saved a lot of marriages." confided Crenshaw. CV Design your Engineering career at Methodist University, starting in Fall 2016. Engineering is a high-demand program with employers in need of quali ed graduates. MU's new Engineering Program* will provide a rm foundation for multiple engineering disciplines and prepare students for graduate study and licensing as professional engineers. * e Engineering Program is pending SACSCOC approval. ENGINEERING PROGRAM methodist.edu | facebook.com/MethodistUniversity 910.630.7000 | 5400 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, N.C. 28311