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Christmas wreath

This naturally beautiful festive wreath is a far cry from the tinselly versions available in shops and markets. It is also surprisingly fun and easy to make, and will be much admired on your front door.

You will need

 Whippy willow branches

 Trailing ivy

 Roll of florists’ wire

 Holly leaves

 Holly or other red berries

 Fir cones

 Mossy twigs

 Hydrangea flowerhead – the redder the better

 Strong ribbon or string for hanging

To make

• Lay out the whippy willow branches in a circle to the desired circumference for your wreath. Lay long strands of ivy on top of it and lash all layers tightly together with the florists’ wire to make a long ‘sausage’ of foliage. This gives your wreath a good solid base and will help keep a strong round shape. (It’s possible to use holly and ivy alone as a base, but you may find that the weight of larger wreaths will cause them to stretch into an oval when hanging.)

• Form the sausage into a wreath shape and secure the ends together with wire. This makes the base of the wreath.

• Working around the wreath, evenly attach your decorations – holly leaves, berries, cones, twigs, sections from the hydrangea head and any other Christmassy foliage – around the circumference, securing each one with the florists’ wire.

• When you have worked once around, hang the wreath to view from a distance, and continue to add more leaves and berries if any section looks sparse.

• Attach a length of strong ribbon or string at the top rear of the wreath where it will not show, for tying around a nail or hook on your door.

• The wreath should last around three weeks if hanging outside and may even dry out sufficiently to carry on as an indoor decoration, to be supplemented with seasonal flowers and foliage throughout the rest of the year.

Tips

For the cheapest, greenest and most natural effect, forage your own foliage from your garden or a hedgerow. Or take an early-morning trip to a flower market where the foliage will be fresh, and buy enough to supply a few like-minded friends too.