How to Make a Wreath
Hanging a wreath on your front door is a traditional way of decorating your home at any time, but particularly at Christmas. In this post I share how to make a wreath from foraged greenery and easy-to-find garden flowers. I regularly hang a wreath on my front doors, both at my homes in France and Australia. (Photo above is the front door of my country home in France.) The wreaths differ a little at each of my homes and tell their own seasonal story, but all add a little charm and especially at Easter, they add a pop of colour.
In France I hand-make my wreaths with greenery I forage. This is a simple and fresh way to create a wreath instead of buying a pre-made wreath. Creating your own door décor is a wonderful way to impart your unique style and make the most of seasonal bounties. I love using hydrangeas at the peak of their summer brightness, and also as they turn colour during autumn. Bright yellows and the rich tones of oranges in ferns, heather and deciduous trees during autumn, also make colourful wreaths. Mistletoe and holly are traditional Christmas choices.
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The Meaning of Wreaths
The wreath has significant meaning for the season of Christmas. Its circular shape represents eternity and from a Christian religious perspective, it represents an unending circle of life, eternity or life never ending. Most wreaths are evergreen which symbolises growth and everlasting life.
Shop bought twig wreath with my foraged greenery
Add small bunches of leaves or flowers by poking into wreath between twigs
Wrap wire around leaf and flower bunches to secure. Add ribbon & hang
Stand back & enjoy your creation. Take a photo of your handiwork
I have a shop-bought twig wreath that I reuse with each season to create my own foraged wreaths. See photos above of French home. Using a shop-bought twig wreath means you can simply add leaves, flowers, ribbon or other decorative items as you please.
Sometimes I also just forage leaves and sticks from the ground along the roadway, arrange it all, tie with twine and hang. This informal and perfectly imperfect arrangement is more susceptible to wind damage, but I love its simplicity. See photos below of French home.
Off to forage around my village
Perfectly imperfect fern branches & fallen leaves
A closer look
The finished autumnal 'wreath'
What You Need to Make a Wreath
To make your own foraged wreath you will need:
- Twig or moss shop-bought wreath or similar you may have made yourself.
- Foraged bunches of greenery, flower bunches, fallen pine cones, fern leaves or berry bunches.
- Thin florist's wire and cutters.
- Ribbon and/or ornaments to decorate.
- Scissors to cut ribbon.
- Thick ribbon to hang.
Re-using a previously shop-bought Xmas twig wreath frame
Working on my dining table with the hydrangeas from my garden
The finished wreath and me hanging it on the front door in France
I love the autumnal colours but wish I had used a thicker ribbon to hang it & make a bow
How to Make a Wreath
- Lay out your wreath, foraged greenery, flowers from your garden, wire, wire cutters, ribbon, scissors and any ornaments onto your workspace. I use my dining table (see photos).
- Using your frame, start to group the foliage in small posies of 3 – 5 sprigs. I poke the small stems directly in between the twigs and then wrap florist’s wire around the entire frame catching the stems. Alternatively you can make small posies and tie them in with wire that loops to the back of the wreath and ties/twists off. Be careful of sharp wire ends at the back of your wreath though, because you can easily scratch your door with the sharp ends. I prefer to wrap around the frame and then have any tie off at the front of the wreath. I then hide it under another sprig.
- I work around the frame adding flower posies or ornaments bit by bit, standing back to check it for shape and colour as I go.
- Add any decorations by pushing wire through or around them and then around the frame, tying off firmly.
- Allowing the foliage and flowers to bend or lay according to their natural shape is important. Just keep moving them until you are happy with their position and natural shape. After all, it is about enjoying the natural beauty of a foraged wreath rather than a perfectly shaped shop bought one!
- Tie ribbon as you wish around or in your frame creating bows or swirls.
- Place thick ribbon through your wreath and hang as you wish. Cut off any spare length of ribbon and neaten up ribbon edges.
- Stand back and enjoy your creativeness!
Foraged wreath on French front door
Same wreath hanging over my fireplace
Christmas Wreaths
At my French home
The main difference to my Christmas wreaths at my French home is that I usually add a large red bow to my foraged greenery. Because the large red bow is so dominant I use a thin ribbon to hang the wreath on my door.
Sometimes I add a simple big bow on the front door brass knocker and bring my wreath in to hang over the fireplace. It doesn't last long once hung over the fireplace with the heat from the fires, but I love the look, even if short lived.
Taking down my shop-bought wreath from my Australian lakeside home office
Shop-bought red berry wreath at Australian lakeside home
At my Australian home
Hanging foraged wreaths or fresh floral wreaths at Christmas time in Australia is not a good idea. With temperatures usually in the mid to high 30°C range, (and often only dropping by 5-10° during the night), fresh leaves or flowers wilt after 30 minutes and are dead by the end of the day.
Because of this, I have a collection of shop-bought wreaths that I rotate during the year depending on the season and when we are in Australia. The advantage of these readymade wreaths, is that they always look good - even on scorching hot days - and only need a gentle wash in soapy cold water to be freshened up.
Happy foraging and wreath making!
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