Christmas is an expensive time of year — but creating your own wreath is kind to your pocket and will make you the envy of the street. Steven Thompson went along to a wreath making class at Turton Tower to find out more.
A FESTIVE wreath from the florist can cost anything from £20 up to £50 or more — and even a budget option from the supermarket will set you back £15 to £20.
But the traditional Christmas decoration — which will adorn your front door for the next three to four weeks — is surprisingly simple to make and the raw materials are dirt cheap.You will need a wire base, padded with moss and straw (you can buy these online for a couple of quid) and a roll of florists’ wire.
The base, which should be soaked in water before you start, can be re-used next Christmas and possibly the year after that too. Just store it in your shed or garage and soak it again before use.
Everything else — that is your foliage — can be foraged. You will want a mix of firs plus some holly or ivy or both for a varied wreath.
To start your wreath, insert an inch of the wire from the roll into the moss then wind it a couple of times around the base. Do not cut the wire now until you have finished the wreath.
Take three four-inch lengths of fir and attach them to the wreath, again by wrapping the wire around the base two or three times, keeping the wire tight. Work your way clockwise around the base, each time attaching three short lengths of foliage pointing in the opposite direction to that which you are working. Each section of foliage you attach will cover the wire holding the previous piece.
You may want to mix it up and alternate between different firs, holly and ivy — or you might wish to stick to just one type of fir and either holly or ivy. There are no hard and fast rules. Our teacher, East Lancs horticulturalist Sue Jeffries assures us that it is practically impossible to make a bad wreath, and judging by our final efforts, she is not wrong.
Work your way around the base, repeating the method of attaching foliage, until you make it back to the start. Before cutting the wire, create a loop to hang your wreath by placing three fingers next to the base. Wind the wire around your fingers and the base three times then twist to create a loop. You can now snip the wire.
You can stop at this point for a natural wreath, or you can decorate it with a few pine cones, a bow and a bit of silver or gold spray, to add a frosted look. The whole process takes about an hour.
The advantage of making your own wreath, aside from the cost, is that no one else will have one like it.
“They’re unique and you get to choose what you want,” says Sue. “You get a lot more variety. You also get that sense of achievement at the end. It’s quite therapeutic and it’s also a chance for adults to have a bit of a play.”
- Sue Jeffries’ wreath making session cost £25 with all materials, refreshments and lunch included. She runs a range of gardening classes and workshops at venues across Lancashire. For information go to sjgardenadvice.co.uk
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