Ever since the ancient Greeks honored their heroes with crowns of laurel, wreaths have been a favorite form of decoration. More recently, the wreath has become a traditional symbol of welcome during the holidays, and increasingly, all year long.
Door Wreath
The most popular outdoor wreath is the holiday door wreath, usually made from evergreen branches and decorated with sturdy elements that can withstand winter weather.
Buying Wreaths
Consider the environment where your wreath will be place. Avoid placing a delicately assembled floral wreath in a location exposed to high winds, or one accented with fabric bows in a rainy environment.
For outdoor wreaths, balsam fir or other evergreen tips will tolerate the weather well without significant degradation.
Items fastened to a wreath should be affixed with wire or a similarly strong method. A small dab of glue from a hot glue gun or a thin piece of thread will never sufficiently attach decorations for an outdoor wreath.
Making Wreaths
Wreaths are produced by hand either with or without the use of a wreath-making machine. Simple wreathing machines consist of a foot-operated device that clamps greenery into the wreath frame or ring; these machines cost $150 to $200.
The cost of wreath rings varies depending on diameter width; 10-inch frames (which yield a 16- to 18-inch finished wreath) cost about $1 per unit. Each wreath takes about 6 pounds of tips.
Balsam fir wreaths consist of tips, a metal ring and wire. A wreath is assembled by attaching bunches of tips to a ring. These bunches are held to the ring with the wire. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Bulletin #7012 offers instructions are for making double-faced wreaths (wreaths with tip bunches attached to both sides). Single-faced wreaths are made the same way as double-faced wreaths, except tip bunches are attached only on one side. Wreath making methods may vary slightly, depending on the wreath producer.
Fresh Cut Wreaths
When creating a holiday wreath with fresh plant material, remember that gathering the live material is actually pruning the plant, and proper cutting techniques are necessary. Be sure to distribute the cuts evenly around the plant to preserve its natural form and beauty.
Pines, firs, and cedars hold up well for indoor uses. Just like Christmas trees, these evergreen materials will dry out slowly over time. A wreath placed outdoors may last for several weeks and those with many broadleaf evergreens actually will last longer if used outdoors. A few nice, needled choices for outdoor wreaths are spruces or hemlock.
When selecting greenery from your landscape be sure to use sharp cutters and immediately put the cut ends into water until ready to use.
When preparing the cuttings, keep the greenery out of sunlight. Prepare the cuttings to be consistent lengths to arrange around the frame of the wreath.
Maintain balance in your wreath by using uniform bundles of plant material as you secure them to the wreath frame. In addition to green materials, use other plant materials such as dried hydrangea blooms, pinecones, or reindeer moss to decorate your wreath. These add color and texture.
Don't be disappointed if you don't have the selection of plant material in your landscape. Typically, many florists and garden centers have adequate supplies.
Caution should be used when decorating with plant materials inside the home. Poisonous berries can be found on yews, mistletoe, holly plants, and many others. The leaves of yew are particularly toxic. Keep all these plants out of the reach of children and pets. Never place fresh greenery near heat sources such as heat vents, space heaters, sunny windows, or open flames such as candles and fireplaces.
Proper care of plant material will keep your wreath looking great from the start. Holly branches will need protection from freezing temperatures after cutting, otherwise the leaves and berries may blacken. Use outer tips of branches since they are often the most visually appealing and offer the best uniformity in appearance.
Sources
University of Illinois Extension: Andrew Holsinger
Maryland Cooperative Extension: Holiday Greenery Enterprise
Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Holiday Greens
