Celebrate the season's bounty with an Autumn Wreath

By Veronica 

 

The flowers are getting scarce and colours are changing in the landscape to take the warm shades of yellows, oranges and red. Autumn has arrived! So let’s celebrate the harvest season with some pumpkin spice and a beautiful wreath at the front door!

We will propose two versions: a simple wild wreath made fully from scratch and a fresh one, on oasis.

For these projects, you will need: 

Berries, Sorbus, Pyracantha, Viburnum

 

Late Season Flowers:

Nepeta, Verbena Bon., Hydrangea Paniculata (All hydrangeas can be used)

 

 

Evergreens:

Ivy, Euonymus, Rosemary, Pine, Olive

 

Seed Head Selection:

Miscanthus, Pennisetum, Fennel, Spiraea, Hebe

 

 

Tools:

Snips, Scissors, Secateurs, Green Wire

 

 

The Wild Wreath (on a dry base)

Start by building a circular shape with flexible twigs tied together in a few points for a natural look. Here, we have used ivy twigs attached with green wire.

Always try to go with the natural bend of the material. It will prevent hard angles and give a nice rounded framework effect

Bulk up the frame with leafy material like here with a tree fern fond tied with wire.

 Keep adding texture and colour: here perennial geranium ‘Rozanne’

And variegated ivy. Where possible, simply intertwine the stems in the structure

If you need to use wire, don’t tie it too tight.

Add your ‘feature’ elements. These are larger elements that will give the style to the wreath.They are the ones that you will see the most. They usually also have shorter stems.

With this wreath we start with the pennisetum seed heads and stems. The movement and circular shape is enhanced with flexible small bunches of grass tied in a few spots.

Where the stems are too short, make an extension with wire. Make a U shape with your wire, roundy part towards the flower and roll around the stems as per picture above. Cut at the desired length.

For the  final touches add  bright and larger leaves on the inside and outside of the wreath.

 

 Et Voila!

 

 

The Fresh Wreath (on oasis)

 

For this project, you will need the same materials and plants along with: Oasis ring soaked (place your oasis in a bucket of water and let it sink in for 20 mins or more.) Sharp knife

 

Start with your base foliage. In this case, because the ring is not very large, we start from the outside of the ring as we do not want to have too much texture on the inside. Here we have chosen Russian vine. If leathery, thick leaves are preferred for the dry wreath,you can use a wider range of plants thanks to the oasis.

Pin your stems down with U-shaped pieces of wire.

Where possible, insert the stems in the foam. For larger elements like this bunch of grass, tie it with green wire and stick the wire in the oasis for anchorage.

As for bouquets, flowers and other plant parts must be prepared. Remove all the foliage that you don’t need (if excess foliage is sitting  in the oasis, it would only rot)

 

Cut the stem in a slant with a sharp knife.

For woody stems, it is best to cut in the middle long wise.

You can add bulky elements like these crab apples. You would need to extend the stem with wire.

The same for leaves. Insert the wire in the leaf, close to the base. Go out the other side of the stem, still in the leafy part, then roll the wire around the stem

 

Keep adding your elements, keeping in mind the circular movement and shape. 

Here: Fatsia japonica, Olivem, Ivy seedheads and variegated ivy, Spiraea seedheads, Thuja twigs 

 

Finally add all your most colourful elements:

Crab apples, Autumn leaves, Ornamental grasses seedheads, Berries and flowers for a wonderful result!

 

General tips:

As you are adding you elements, always rotate your wreath so it does not end up lobesided.

Lift it regularly in order to ensure that all pieces are correctly tied. You don’t want to realise this at the end!

Your wreaths will last for several weeks outside with the moisture of the morning dew, so there should be no need for misting it, unless you keep it indoor. Be careful however ,not to mist the flower heads but only the foliage. Any soft part will be damaged by excessive misting.

Be gentle, avoid bruising leaves and flowers as this will be visible the next day.

If you wish to add heavier elements such as pumpkin, it is best to stake them in with a kebab stick for better stability.

 

Suitable plants:

You can use anything from the wild, even ‘weeds’ so it can be a very cheap way to make a very cheerful decoration for your front door.

If you wish to create a garden with suitable plants for autumn/winter floristry, here are some of the best:

Trees:

• Sorbus
• Amelanchier
• Liquidambar
• Parrotia
• Acers
• Olive
• Eucalyptus
• Pine

Climbers:

• Pyracantha
• Parthenocissus
• Ivy

Evergreen shrubs with interesting leaves or flowers:

• Euonymus
• Viburnum
• Pittosporum
• Cotoneaster
• Photinia
• Leucothoe
• Holly

Ornamental grasses:

• Pennisetum
• Miscanthus
• Panicum
• Cortaderia

Flowers:

• Chrysanthemum
• Hydrangea
• Verbena
• Lavender
• Helleborus

Herbs (for the fragrance):

• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Fennel
• Helichrysum (curry plant)