How to Make a Wreath

To make a wreath, choose a ring-shaped base, gather your greenery or dried materials into small bundles, and attach them one at a time with thin wire, each bundle overlapping the stems of the one before so the ring is covered evenly in one direction. Finish with a bow or a few decorations and a hanging loop. The same method works for winter evergreens, spring blossom, summer herbs or autumn leaves, and a ribbon wreath needs no plants at all.

Choose a wreath base

A wire frame or a grapevine ring is the easiest place for a first wreath.

Gather materials for the season

• Winter: fir, pine, cedar or holly, with pine cones, dried orange slices and cinnamon sticks.
• Spring: pussy willow, eucalyptus, blossom branches and faux or dried flowers.
• Summer: herbs such as rosemary, bay and lavender, plus grasses and dried flowers.
• Autumn: coloured leaves, wheat, seed heads, small gourds and berries.

Garden prunings are often perfect. If you are cutting from shrubs that are not yours, ask first, and avoid anything with toxic berries if children or pets will be near the finished wreath.

Tools

• Floral wire on a paddle or reel.
• Secateurs and wire cutters.
• Gardening gloves, especially for holly or conifers.
• Ribbon for a bow and a hanging loop.
• A glue gun for decorations, used with care.

How to make a wreath, step by step

1. Cut and sort. Trim greenery into pieces roughly a hand's length long. Sort them into piles by type so each bundle can include a mix.
2. Make bundles. Gather three to five stems together, fuller pieces at the back and finer pieces at the front. Make a stack of bundles before you start.
3. Attach the wire. Tie the end of the wire onto the frame and leave the reel attached.
4. Add the first bundle. Lay it on the frame and wrap the wire tightly around the stems two or three times.
5. Overlap. Lay the next bundle so its leaves cover the stems and wire of the first. Wrap again. Keep going round the ring in the same direction.
6. Cover the inner and outer edges. Angle some bundles slightly in and some slightly out so the frame does not show from the side.
7. Close the circle. Lift the leaves of the first bundle and tuck the stems of the last one underneath. Wrap the wire a few times and twist it off at the back.
8. Decorate. Wire or glue on cones, dried fruit, seed heads or small ornaments, grouping them in odd numbers for a natural look.
9. Add a hanging loop. Twist a loop of wire at the back, or tie a length of ribbon around the top of the frame.

Hold the wreath up at arm's length every so often while you work. Gaps and lopsided areas are much easier to spot from a distance.

How to make a ribbon wreath

A ribbon wreath needs no greenery and lasts for years indoors.

1. Cut ribbon or fabric strips into equal lengths, long enough to tie a knot with short tails.
2. Tie each strip onto the wire frame with a single knot, pushing them close together.
3. Alternate two or three colours or textures for a pattern, or use one colour for a calm look.
4. Continue until the frame is full, then fluff and trim the ends to an even length.
5. Add a large bow at the top or bottom.

For the bow, a multi-loop florist bow in wired ribbon suits most wreaths. Our guide on how to tie a bow with ribbon walks through it.

Other wreath ideas

• Dried flower wreath: glue or wire air-dried flowers, seed heads and grasses onto a grapevine ring. Hang the stems upside down in a dark, airy spot for a couple of weeks first so they hold their colour.
• Ornament wreath: thread baubles or handmade salt dough ornaments onto a wire ring.
• Table wreath: lay a wreath flat as a centrepiece with a candle in a glass holder at the middle, never an open flame among dry leaves. It looks lovely on an outdoor table too, as in our ideas for daytime garden parties.

Caring for a fresh wreath

How long will it last?

It depends on the greenery and where the wreath hangs. Outdoors in cool weather, conifers tend to hold up well; indoors, near heating, they dry out much faster.

How can I keep it looking fresh?

Mist fresh greenery with water every few days and keep the wreath out of strong sun and away from radiators, fires and candles.

How do I hang it without damaging the door?

Over-the-door hooks, adhesive hooks rated for the weight, or a ribbon looped over the top of the door and fixed on the inside all avoid nails.