With the holiday season upon us, it's time to make our homes look welcome and festive. One of the easiest and most enjoyable projects that I like to do is make a Christmas wreath with materials from my garden.
As you can see by the top photo, I went with a simpler look this year. (remember that you can always click on the photos on my blog in order to see a larger image)
I trimmed several small branches from different types of conifers like Douglas fir, Colorado Blue spruce, Bird's Nest spruce and Norway spruce. The large, gray-green leaves are from a sage plant in my herb garden and the small dried flowers are a wildflower called Pearly White Everlasting.
For a wreath base, I prefer grapevine wreaths because they are inexpensive and it is really easy to tuck in branches instead of having to use a lot of floral wire or a glue gun. They can be used year after year.
Before I started adding foliage to the wreath, I decided where the top of the wreath will be and made a wire hanger.
Once I've filled in the wreath base with layers of different conifers, I tie on a festive bow. Then I add decorative accents like dried flowers, ornaments, berries, pinecones or sparkly leaves from craft stores.
At this point, I hang the wreath and then take a good look at the shape of it. If there's too much fullness or some wayward branches, I just use a hand pruner to trim it as needed.
The bottom photo shows one of the picket planters on our porch that has been decorated for the holidays. During the the spring and summer, I grow annuals in them. This fall, I put pots of ornamental kale and colorful winter squash in them for a fall decoration.
We usually put the planters away for the winter but I decided to fill them with pine boughs, pinecones and decorative, glittery fruit ornaments like pomegranites, pears and apples. Very simple but effective.
To see the wreaths my girlfriends and I made last year and for more holiday home decor ideas, go to these postings: Part One, Part Two and Part Three.
