With just six weeks to go until the start of December, it’s time to start thinking about your festive preparations to make sure you enjoy a chic Christmas.
And what could be more elegant than a beautiful Christmas wreath hung on your front door for all to see and admire?
This Christmas, go one better than shop-bought, and learn how to make your own.
We’ve got the expert advice from one of Scotland’s leading florists, Narcissus, on how to make your own beautiful wreath, filled with fresh foliage and berries.
Narcissus not only has a beautiful (and super-Instagrammable) florist’s shop in Edinburgh’s chic New Town, but also has a Flower School, offering amateur-level day and evening classes, or professional-level training courses if you’re feeling inspired to change your career and train in the art of contemporary floristry.
Luckily, if you’re planning to be in Edinburgh over the festive season, Narcissus Flower School is offering wreathmaking classes, so there’s plenty of opportunity to learn the art of crafting your own Christmas wreath.
Contemporary Wreathmaking (27 November, 4 December) teaches students how to make a rustic-luxe, modern update on the classic festive wreath – traditionalists will adore the Signature Christmas Wreath class (28 and 29 November, 6 December), where you’ll learn how to create an elegant and incredibly festive classic Christmas wreath.
Classes are £95 per person, including fizz, food and of course, your materials and wreath to take home and enjoy. The perfect activity for you and your friends – or you can even buy a class as a gift voucher for a green-fingered friend.
But if you’re not planning to be in Edinburgh over the festive period, don’t worry – Narcissus have given us the professional tips and tricks you need to be able to create your own stunning classic Christmas wreath.
This simple-to-follow step-by-step is the perfect activity for a chilly weekend in the run-up to Christmas, and you’re sure to adore the results!
How to make your own Festive Wreath
You will need:
Materials
- Floristry scissors
- Copper wreath ring (or a few stems of dogwood if you want to create your own)
- Coil wire
- Straight wire
- Thick ribbon
Florals and foliage –
- Sphagnum moss
- Various Christmassy foliage – spruce, pine, conifer, holly or ivy are all lovely
- Selected decorative elements – we suggest metallic painted asparagus fern, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, ilex berries, birch twigs and even baubles!
Method:
- If you want to create your own wreath ring from dogwood, gently bend your stems into a ring shape using a few together at a time to strengthen. Bind together with your coil wire, making sure to twist the ends together when you get to the end. If you’re using a copper ring, you can skip this step.
- Next, use your sphagnum moss to give body to your wreath and something for your stems to stick into. Take little bunches of moss and attach them to both sides of your ring, looping in and out and securing with your coil wire.
- Prep your foliage by cutting it into smaller pieces, thinking about the look you’re trying to achieve. If you want it to look more wild and natural, leave a few stems longer and trailing, and if you want a neater look, keep them even and short.
- Place each stem at a slight angle, this will create a more rounded look. Attach with your coil wire.
- Add in your ilex berries, painted asparagus and anything else that doesn’t require a wire.
- Attach a wire to your cones, orange slices etc.
- Place decorations into your wreath, looping the wire under to keep any sharp ends tucked in. Be creative! Make sure your decorations go all the way around to create a lush, generous look.
- Using your ribbon, attach enough length so you can hang it from your door. Tie a large ribbon and attach with wire to finish it off beautifully. Ta-dah!
If you’d like to know more about their festive floristry classes visit http://www.narcissusflowers.co.uk/
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