Learn about creating unusual holidays wreaths made from native materials.
Listen to podcast:
H
oliday wreaths adorn may houses this time of year. While I love the traditional evergreen wreath with pine cones, winter berries, and dried grasses, you can also get creative about what you use to make a wreath.
The first type of wreath I like to call the “morning walk” wreath. This is a wreath made from natural materials you find along your morning walk in the woods or fields. Bring along your hand pruners and a bucket and snip colorful dogwood stems, berries from viburnums and dogwoods, lichen covered branches from spruce trees and spent wildflowers. You get the idea. Make sure you collect some branches or vines to use as the wreath base. Then, using the essential glue gun, attach your treasures to the wreath. This is a great activity to do with kids or a friend.
Grape vine wreaths are easy because there are many wild vines growing along the forest edge. You can keep the wreath simple with just a vine and a few evergreen leaves or make it packed with all types of natural materials.
If you dried flowers this summer and fall from your garden, use them to make a dried flower wreath. Use lavender, ornamental grasses, strawflowers, roses, yarrow and many other blooms. Attach them to a metal wreath ring or wound up vines, such as grape and American bittersweet, that create a ring. Then insert the flowers all around.
You can even create wreaths using nuts. Attach acorns, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts with glue to give your wreath an edible feel. The squirrels will love you! Finally, make a dried herb wreath that’s beautiful and utilitarian. Hung in the kitchen, the wreath will slowly disappear as you use the dried oregano, thyme, rosemary and other herbs for cooking.
From the Vermont Garden Journal on Vermont Public Radio.
