Color and Texture for great Christmas Wreaths

It was so exciting to see some great designss happen when my daughters and daughter-in-laws got together to decorate wreaths for their homes.

We purchased standard wreaths from the wholesaler and yes, the grocery stores, and embellished them with fresh gatherings from the garden and nature walks,  and came up with some great designs!

There are so many foliage plants that look stunning in winter designs. Here are a few from the beds at Springwell Gardens- fresh nandina, Goshiki False Holly, blue cypress, Threadleaf False Cypress and Gold Crippsii Chamaecyparis. There were also some nandina and holly berries as were as nature gatherings. Gingko leaves both natural and gilded are a favorite of mine this time of year and so are the cotton bolls that Wilson was able to pick on a farm site he visits. Red chili peppers went into a wreath for my Mom's door and a centerpiece design for my mother-in-law.

And here are the fabulous results!!!

My favorite part is the time spent together with them all.  Natalie had a conflict so we got together later to do hers, and that was good too!

I am looking forward to making this a yearly tradition!!!

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Garden Gatherings for Christmas Wreaths

Christmas wreaths are a favorite of mine. Each year I enjoy making several for family and friends. I used to wire all the greenery myself, but it has been such a time saver to purchase a fresh green Noble fir base and embellish with nature and garden gatherings and even a little produce from the store.

If a plant is going into one of our garden beds or border, it has to do more than look nice- it has to offer something that can be used. Over the years we have added a variety evergreen shrubs that are wonderful for cutting Christmas greenery from. They include:

Chamaecyparis pisifer "Golden Mops"

Chamaecyparis obtusa "Crippsii"

and Osmanthus heterophyllus "Goshiki"

Good sources for berries include nandina and holly bushes. And then there are the great finds along paths, sidewalks and among trees such as...

brown pods from wisteria vines, wooden-like pods from trumpet vines, peeling bark from Crepe Myrtles, 

sweet gum balls, dried flowers such as golden yarrow (from the garden) and Lady apples from the store

Add a bow... or not

 And enjoy!!!

Most of this material can be inserted into the wreath using a hot glue gun. Some, such as the apples, must first be mounted on a stake, then attached with hot glue. Multiple stems of gum balls are wrapped together with wire so that the unit can be glued in as one piece.
Questions- just email me!

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