With colder weather meaning we’re all spending more time indoors at this time of year, you may want to spend an afternoon tucked up in the warm, creating a festive wreath to decorate your front door. They’re easy and inexpensive to make, use sustainable materials and look beautiful.
Plus, our garden’s winter bounty is the ideal resource to go hunting for materials to use in your wreath – providing most of the items you’ll need.
Amber Partner shares three ways you may want to style your wreath, and shows us how she creates show-stopping wreaths in five simple steps, below.
Try your wreath in three ways
The ¾ wreath
For a beautiful wreath with a difference, start with a base made of willow or vines. Find some green foliage and add these onto your rustic base one bunch at a time. Stop once you have gone around ¾ of the way and finish off with a beautiful ribbon – it looks great while keeping the ends hidden.
The full-circle wreath
Want a traditional circular shape? Continue adding on your greenery to complete the wreath. Once you have reached the end, secure the twine to the base with a knot. It’s simple but stylish.
The decorated wreath
Go one step further and give your wreath some pizazz. Have a look around your garden for any seed heads, grasses, twigs or thistles (below, Amber has used dried teasel, buddleia and Nigella seed pods). Stick these into your greenery creating a gorgeous piece that can be composted once the festive season is over.
More Christmas projects and inspiration:
You Will Need
- Circular willow wreath base
- Secateurs
- Green jute twine
- Foraged greenery, such as bay, eucalyptus, ivy and conifers
- Seedheads, such as clematis, buddleia, nigella, thistles, grasses and more
- Other decorative materials, (pine cones, dried flowers, etc.)
- Stems of twisted willow
- Ribbon
Step 1
Gather your materials in front of you. Place your greenery in piles according to type and set aside your decorations to add on later. Tie your jute twine onto your wreath securely, using a double knot, but don’t cut it.
Step 2
Clip your branches of foliage into shorter sprigs, 10-15cm long. Make a small bunch of sprigs by layering one on top of the next, using at least two or more different types of leaves. The more sprigs you add, the fuller the wreath will look.
Step 3
Lay your bunch of foliage onto your willow base, with the top end pointing outwards. Wrap the twine around the stems and base three times, then pull tight. Repeat the process, making another bunch of foliage and placing it overlapping your first. Wrap the twine around the stems and base three times, as before.
Step 4
Continue adding more bunches right around the willow ring. When you get back to the start, lift up the top of the first bunch and secure the final one beneath it. Cut the twine and tie the end to the base with a knot. Add a loop of ribbon to the top of your wreath. Next, trim the stems of your seedheads and dried flowers to 15cm. Insert each piece into your greenery, evenly around the wreath. If adding pine cones, keep them secury by weaving twine around the base then tie onto the willow ring.
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Step 5
Complete your wreath by adding decorations foraged from your garden. Hang your wreath up to make sure your decorations are evenly distributed and fill any gaps. Trim off any excess greenery if necessary to finish.
Watch Amber making a beautiful festive wreath, in this short timelapse video guide:
- Amber Partner is owner of Howe Farm Flowers near Aylesbury, growing sustainable, seasonal cut flowers. The farm offers pick-your-own and workshops: @howefarmflowers and howefarmflowers.com
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