Fall Nature Wreaths
You spent the summer growing herbs and flowers in your gardens and window boxes, so as the weather cools, why not use those herbs and flowers to make a beautiful wreath to continue enjoying the fruits of your labor all winter?
A Little Bit of History
The wreath is an ancient symbol of the continuity of life. The circular design evokes immortality. Ancient cultures like the Romans and Greeks were among the first to use wreaths as awards and crowns. Even the great Julius Caesar was crowned with a wreath of laurel. As time and ingenuity progressed, other cultures created more elaborate and ornate crowns associated with Kings and Queens. Corona, is the Latin word for Crown, which means Wreath.
Today, you will still find wreaths on many front doors throughout the world, especially around the holidays.
Dried Flower/Herb Wreath;
Step 1
Pick flowers when their blossoms are half-open, leaving about 6 inch long stems.
For lavender pick when the top portion of blossom still hasn't opened yet, for Hydrangeas pick when there still is a tiny flower at the top that hasn't opened yet. Pick off any discolored parts.
Step 2
Strip the lower leaves from the stems; don't remove the leaves closest to the flower on the stem.
Step 3
Pick Gather 8 to 10 stems together, choose colorful flowers and/or only herbs and tie them with string or secure them with rubber bands.
Step 4
Hang the bundle upside down in a well-ventilated area. After 10 days the flowers should be dry. When drying multiple bundles of flowers, leave space between them to ensure thorough drying.
Step 5
Choose an area that has good air circulation and does not receive direct sunlight such as an attic or over a water heater or boiler. Use wire cutters to cut a long strip - about 2 1/2 to 3 feet in length - of heavy-gauge wire to create a circle/wreath base, or use a small grapevine wreath.
Step 6
If using heavy gauge wire, bend each end into a hook and fasten together.
Step 7
Gather dried foliage and dried flowers, cut so they are about 3 inches long. For simplicity, work with three or fewer different colors of flowers/foliage.
Step 8
Arrange flowers and foliage into a pattern around a small grapevine or wire wreath. Cover the entire length of a heavy-gauge wire or grapevine wreath with flowers and foliage, making sure to keep flowers and foliage close together to prevent gaps.
Step 10
Secure each bundle around the back. You may want to hot glue some bundles in place, but once the wreath is full the bundles will stay in place.
Step 11
Create a hanger on the back out of wire, hang and enjoy!!
To add drama to your wreaths you can wire or hot glue found objects from a walk in the woods or the beach such as; empty birds nests, empty bee hives, pine cones, sprigs of bittersweet, feathers, shells etc.
They make a great inexpensive gift idea and make a fun craft your children can help you with as well! Celebrate Fall!!
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