Prior Note: Should you wish to make your own wreath structure, there are lots of video tutorials online for you to watch at your convenience, or you may prefer to do what we did (because this was our first attempt) and purchase one for just a few pounds.

 

Requirements:

 

Basket or suitable bag, hand secateurs, paper bag or small box for things such as fruits etc, cloth for your work table, scissors, gardening string, glue gun and glue, a premade or pre-purchased wreath structure, and the foliage that you have collected.

 

The Initial Process:

 

1. If you are able, go for a ramble in a nearby wood, or simply pass by the hedgerows or visit a local community park. If nothing else, maybe a meander around your garden? Remember to take a basket/bags/box with you and some hand secateurs.
2. Be mindful. Rather than going straight in, cutting at things unnecessarily, eagerly wielding your hand secateurs like a warrior possessed, see what your eyes are drawn to, we all view things differently. What is already there, on the ground? Almost certainly there are things that have had no choice but to surrender themselves to a good breeze or strong wind. If you have to use your hand secateurs, only cut from overhang, or trim something that could do with a prune anyway, actually benefiting from it.

3. See the variety, see the possibility, see the potential. A trio of oak leaves, a handful of catkins, a collection of cones. Smaller things first, they will sit safely in your basket far easier than trying to carry boughs of leaves around, the bulk of foliage can be collected towards the end of your ramble, especially on a blustery day when the wind is likely to carry things away, eager to reclaim its trophies of destruction.

4. Are there any fruits that you can collect at the same time? If you see some juicy blackberries for example, why not pick a few whilst you are there, add them to your next morning's breakfast or smoothie, or simply just enjoy them with a little yoghurt, delicious…
5. Only take what you need and remember to be thankful for your finds. Show a little gratitude, pick up some litter and pop it in a bin. Close any gates if they were closed before you passed through them and leave no trace behind.

 

 

The Second Stage:

 

1. Lay the cloth out on your table, remove any items around you that may hinder your craft activity.
2. Set out the table, lay down the wreath structure. Where is the top/bottom going to be? Tie a ribbon loop or something suitable to the top/bottom or both, depending on how it is to be attached to your door/gate/fence. 
3. Next, lay out your foliage and other items. You will need to look at them individually, turn them around, see which direction they hang, turn them upside down, see the colours, see how they catch the light. What works well with what?
4. Colour consideration. Is there a secondary colour jumping out at you? See the examples below:

 

Main Colour: Green   Secondary Colour: Red

Main Colour: Green   Secondary Colour: Orange

Main Colour: Green   Secondary Colour: Yellow

Main Colour: Green   Secondary Colour: Gold

Main Colour: Green   Secondary Colour: Paler Green

 

Main Colour: Brown   Secondary Colour: Red

Main Colour: Brown   Secondary Colour: Orange

Main Colour: Brown   Secondary Colour: Yellow

Main Colour: Brown   Secondary Colour: Gold

Main Colour: Brown   Secondary Colour: Paler Green

 

5. Consider where the secondary colour will be placed, interspersed? At the top or bottom? At the four cardinal points on a compass? You could mix the colours up, after all it's your creation. Let it emerge naturally, it will, no need to use someone else's example unless you really wish to.
6. Place a piece of foliage onto the wreath structure, see how it lies, does it naturally arch? If so, does it move to the left/right? Would it sit better on the left/right/top/bottom of your wreath structure? Once happy, take a piece of gardening string and tie it gently to the structure, securing at the back, knot it twice. Leave the ends, these can be trimmed later.
7. Repeat this process until the wreath is pretty much covered. If possible, ask someone to hold it up for you. If not, prop the wreath up somewhere safe and after carefully taking a few steps back, just look at it. See where the gaps are? See where it needs something adding…
8. Now is the time to fill in those little gaps. Play with your decorations, see what goes well, where. Carefully glue them on. Stop every so often, when you know that the glue has set, again view the wreath from a few steps back. What's working well? Does it need more texture? Perhaps something a little bulkier like more cones or something gentle like a posy of elderflower berries?
9. Stop when you are happy. Don't feel that you have to use everything you have gathered, after all, those could be pressed for future art projects or placed in your garden as decoration. Should you have no more use for them, add them to your composter, feed them back to the earth, it's where they belong afterall.
10. Leave your wreath to dry and to settle overnight.
11. Hang securely in a perfect place. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Look up to the sky and say, “thank you”. Put the kettle on and enjoy a biscuit or two, the tidying up can wait for a bit…

 

 

Mrs WH