Traditional holly wreaths make stunning centre pieces for Christmas decorations but you don’t have to spend a fortune to get one. In fact, nature will provide all the elements you need to make a beautiful wreath of your own which can grace your front door or dinner table at any time of the year.
Holly is, of course, the mainstay of many classic wreaths and if you don’t have any in your garden it can be found in hedgerows or woods. Its vibrant colour will provide a pleasing background to other additions and will last for several weeks. Its close friend ivy is another good choice when creating a wreath and is in plentiful supply. Conifer leaves have also become popular in recent years and can be found in lots of gardens.
But, in truth, the choice is entirely yours. There are so many elements to choose from, most of which can be found in your garden although you may have to plan in advance. Seed heads, such as from poppies or alliums, look really impressive, but you will have to harvest them once they have flowered in the summer and put them to one side ready for when you need them. You can use them either in their natural form or you can spray them if you want to add some extra colour.
Red and orange berries and rosehips are also eye-catching and appealing (but leave some for the birds). And tactile miscanthus grasses too can be woven into a wreath to give a gentle texture.
Dried flowers can be a beautiful addition, either saved from the garden or bought from a supplier, and other popular natural elements which work really well include pine cones, feathers and candied orange slices.
Once you have chosen how you want your wreath to look, you will need to get a frame for it. I would urge against foam, metal or plastic ones in favour of a natural material. Again, there’s several choices to buy or you could fashion your own from willow or eucalyptus. Then when you are all set, use string to attach the elements to the frame working from the background forward.
You don’t need to be artistic to create a wreath and there are no hard and fast rules on what you should do. It’s just great fun, especially if you are doing it with friends. Just enjoy it and I am sure you will be pleased with the results.
