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How to make a foliage Christmas wreath

Our step-by-step video tutorial will show you how to create your own natural Christmas wreath with festive greenery

Published: September 29, 2022 at 1:17 pm

Fancy learning how to make the most of the greenery around you this year to create eco-friendly Christmas decorations that are kind to your purse, too? Our festive foliage workshops are here to help! In the below tutorial, expert florist Lucy Silverthorne will show you how to make a Christmas wreath using natural greenery that you can gather for free.

How to make a natural Christmas wreath with foliage

You’ll need:

Secateurs or strong scissors
Wire wreath frame
Reel of binding wire
Floristry wires
Moss that’s been lightly dampened with water
Foliage - you can use whatever you like, but we've used conifer, ivy, skimmia, variegated holly, eucalyptus and olive
Plus some decorations, if you like - we used red baubles (£15 for a set of 50, Next) baubles, a natural cone bunch (£2.49, Gisela Graham) and this tan gold satin ribbon (£1 for 15m, Hobbycraft)

Tip: use up any leftover sprigs to give a pillar candle a festive foliage makeover.

Step 1

Attach the end of your wire (or string if using) to the outer edge of the wreath frame. Begin adding handfuls of moss to one side of the frame, securing tightly with the wire, ensuring the moss is tightly packed and the frame is not visible from the front.

Step 2

Take a few pieces of foliage, and lay them onto the frame in a fan shape. Secure the foliage to the frame by wrapping the wire around a couple of times – pulling tightly to secure the bunch in place.

Step 3

Take a small selection of the other foliages and place them on top of the previous bunch, but slightly lower so you are overlapping the stems. Consider the placement of your foliage; ensure there are no gaps and the front and sides of the frame are covered.

Step 4

Continue the above process; varying the placement of your foraged materials – to add interest. Check the wreath from all angles, making sure you have achieved a full and balanced shape. Ensure the wire is pulled tight after each bind.

Step 5

When securing the last bundle to the frame, place the stems of the bunch under the foliage tips of the first bunch you added. Bind tightly 3 – 4 times and cut the binding wire, leaving a length of approximately 10cm.

On the back of the wreath, tease some moss away to expose a small section of copper frame. Wind the 10cm of wire, tightly around the frame, several times. Once you’re confident that the wire will not unravel, push the end into the back of the wreath.

Step 6

To secure the decorations to the wreath; push the wire through the foliage and mossed frame, then bend the wire back on itself, pushing the end of the wire back into the wreath. Continue with this method until all the items are secure.

At this stage, check there are no sharp ends of wire poking out – which could potentially damage your door. The decorative ribbon can be made into a bow or leave it trailing.

Top tip: It’s worth spending a few minutes placing the items onto the wreath before you start, to make sure you’re happy with the placement. Working in odd numbers gives a more balanced look, and consider grouping items together, which gives a natural, organic appearance.

Step 7

Decide which is the top of the wreath & turn the wreath over. Tease away some of the moss, as before and thread the wire through to create a loop for hanging.

Top tip: To ensure your wreath looks beautiful for longer, mist lightly with water once a week.