Christmas Cheer
I consider myself more of a practical gardener than an arts and crafts type, so I surprised myself this week by putting together a simple, yet decorative, Christmas wreath.
Pretty much any evergreen foliage plant can be used as a source of material for festive wreaths – holly, pine and bay are the usual subjects. I don’t have any of these in my garden. Instead I’ve used trimmings from the Blue Spruce Christmas tree that we put up last weekend –I had to cut off a lower branch to make it fit the stand.
You can pick up wire wreath rings from floristry shops and garden centres. Ideally you should pack damp sphagnum moss or similar around the ring and tie it in place with floristry wire – perhaps the most fiddly aspect of wreath making. If this sounds like too much effort your florist will likely do this for you for around £5.
Once this is done, attaching your greenery is pretty straight forward. Dense pine and conifer cuttings of around 15cm can be placed singularly on the ring. Sparser looking broadleaved evergreens such as bay should be cut to the same length but tied into bunches of three before going on the ring for better coverage.
After your first piece is tied to the ring using florists wire or similar, the following pieces should be laid in the same direction around the ring with as much over lap as possible.
With the foliage in place it’s time for dressing. I’ve used a simple red bow and some small pine cones. Other options include berries, small Christmas decorations, contrasting foliage and LED lights.
It wasn’t until I went to hang the wreath on the front door that I realised this wasn’t possible. I have a UPVC door that would be ruined by a nail being hammered in to it! Instead I’ve had to hang it on the wall next to the door!
About Kris Collins
Kris Collins started out in gardening as an estates worker at Richmond Park, west London, before training as a Royal Parks apprentice at Greenwich Park (south east london). After a stint as greenkeeper at The London Golf Club, Kent, he made a move towards journalism as a reporter for Horticulture Week. He now writes for Amateur Gardening magazine, Britain's best selling weekly gardening magazine, and tends his own garden in a leafy part of Hampshire.
