Deck the halls—or at least your front door—with this gorgeous circle of greenery. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your own festive wreath.
Not keen to strike out on your own? Try one of these wreath-making workshops in London.
What you will need:
- A wreath frame, 12 to 14 inches in diameter (30 to 35cm)
- A wreath wrap or plastic refuse sack cut into 1.5-inch strips (about 4cm)
- Reel wire or stub wire
- 20 stems of Eucalyptus cinereal (commonly known as Argyle apple)
- 3 stems of Brunia albiflora
- A bag of moss
- Moss pins
- Crab apples, lemons or clementines
- Wired ribbon for the bow (weatherproof ribbon if placing outside)
How to make it:
- Start by teasing out the damp moss with your fingers.
- Tie the wire to the outer ring of the wreath frame.
- Compress the moss around the frame, holding it in place by binding the wire around it as you go. Leave approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) between each binding loop.
- Tuck the end of the wire back into the moss.
- Use the wreath wrap or plastic strips to cover the moss on the back of the wreath, holding them in place with the moss pins (this will protect your door or wall from the moss).
- Next, add a loop of wire to hang the wreath. Do this by threading a strong bit of wire through the frame and moss. Overlap the ends of the wire and twist them together to make a loop.
- Spray moss to moisten.
- Cut eucalyptus into about 6-inch (15cm) lengths and remove the lower leaves. Gather 2 or 3 pieces and create a fan shape using the wire and push into the moss at an angle. Go around the wreath anticlockwise, layering the eucalyptus and covering the moss.
- Cut the Brunia into approximate 6-inch lengths and layer the wreath where needed in the same way as the above step. Spray foliage.
- Wire crab apples by pushing through a wire that is strong enough to support the fruit. Bring the ends together and twist to form a mount to push into the moss.
- Form a bow from the ribbon, mount it onto a wire and push into the moss to secure.
- Hang it up and enjoy the fresh scent of eucalyptus throughout the holiday season!
This first appeared in our 2012 Christmas Guide.
Photos by Kitty Phillips
