Hand made holiday wreaths from the garden

A great way to share the tradition of creating fragrant, evergreen arrangements from your winter garden is to shape fresh greens into a tidy holiday rings. Luckily, North Texas is home to many plants that make perfect wreath materials, and you may be surprised by how many of them can be gathered at your doorstep.

Nothing could be more simple:
Purchase:
1) A wreath form from your local craft shop. Either foam (for full, easy green arrangements) or wire (for more advanced, airy and lighter projects.)
2) Floral wire. Green or silver are both available, and a medium/thin gauge is appropriate for evergreen trimmings.
3) Ribbon or twine for hanging, if desired.
Gather:
- pruning shears
- bucket with an inch of water for gathering greens and trimmings
Suggested Plant Materials:
- any aromatic evergreen: Christmas tree trimmings, cedar, juniper
- evergreen herbs: rosemary, santolina, lavender
- plants with berries: nandina, holly, juniper- broad, glossy leaves: magnolia, hawthornMethod:
Start with one handful of greens and hold the stems flat against the wreath frame with one hand, while beginning to wind the wire around and around the bottom 2-3 inches of the greens to secure them tightly with the other hand. Leave the wire on the spool and use it like a bobbin and a means to pull and tighten the arrangement.
Lay another handful of greens over the wrapped up/ wired ends of your first handful. Be sure it overlaps the initial bundle enough to hide the wired ends. Secure it in the same manner as the first, as shown. Continue all the way around the wreath form, being careful to tuck your wiring under the lose tips of your first greens when you make a full circle.
Use extra greens, stems with berries, or smaller silvery herbs to tuck in and fill any areas of your wreath that seem sparse.
For an added holiday touch, wire (or hot glue) a few pine cones, pecans, or dried flower heads in a cluster.