Every year, at the beginning of December, I start to think about making my Christmas wreaths. Wreaths can be very expensive to buy from garden centres and shops, and they are both fun and easy to make.

I start by collecting swathes of ivy, holly branches, and small bundles of evergreens when out and about on dog walks. I am always very careful to forage in hedgerows that are on roads and footpaths, and I make sure I never venture onto private land. I am very lucky that holly and ivy grow in abundance along the lane outside my smallholding and in and amongst the hedgerows bordering my land. I also have a number of evergreen trees and shrubs in my garden which can spare a branch or two at this time of year. If you are hanging your wreaths indoors, it is a good idea to collect holly without the berries, as these are extremely poisonous and therefore not suitable for a household with pets or young children.

Dog walks are also a good time to keep an eye out for pine cones, and I have been collecting these throughout the dry autumn months. Pine cones that have been left on the ground in wet conditions are not good for wreath making, as they will have begun to rot and are likely to fall apart when wire is wrapped around them.

This year, I have made half a dozen wreaths, more than I usually do, as I wanted to dot them around the smallholding to make the outside look as Christmasy as the inside; why shouldn’t the animals have something festive to look at?

I purchased my rings online. However, you can easily make these using a wire coat hanger or pliable, bendy twigs. This year, I opted for a variety of rings, some made from willow and some from wire, as I didn’t want all the wreaths to look identical.

You will need a selection of tools to make the job easier, such as scissors or secateurs and florist wire, to secure your decorations in place. A hot glue gun can also be useful for securing decorations to the wreath, but it isn’t essential.

It is a good idea to wear quality gloves when making the wreaths, as they can be treacherous on the hands with prickly holly and sharp twigs. Start by winding the ivy around the ring, securing it firmly in place with florist’s wire. Once the ring is covered in ivy, you can start to ‘pack out’ your wreath by adding bundles of greenery, which overlap each other. Work your way around the entire wreath, securing the bundles firmly in place with the florist’s wire, and when you have completed the ring, tuck the stems of the last bundle of greenery under the first one and again, secure with wire.

You can use any greenery to make your wreaths; however, traditional evergreens such as fir, pine and spruce are usually used to weave amongst the holly and ivy; these, along with other options such as eucalyptus and bay, are both robust and fragrant. The waxy leaves and bright red berries of the holly add texture and colour. I have a good supply of willow in my garden, which also looks great wrapped around a wreath, although I am not sure the donkeys will agree with me on this one, as they prefer me to hang it in their stable so they can eat it!

Finally, I added pine cones and decorated with shop bought ‘berries,’ dried orange slices and cinnamon sticks adding a festive bow to finish them off. I hung the wreaths in safe places around the smallholding, using bright red and gold ribbons.

It took me literally a couple of hours to make half a dozen wreaths, and it saved me pounds! It was a thoroughly enjoyable pastime on a wet December afternoon with a glass of mulled wine whilst listening to some festive songs – what says Christmas better than that?


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