Making up the Christmas Wreath!

I've never made one of these before but inspired by a recent episode of 'Gardeners World' on the box and a stallholder selling similar at Stratford market, I decide it's time to have a go!. The challenge as ever in the Fothergill household is to see if it's possible to make one up entirely from foraged and recycled items found in and around the garden.

Well, not bad so far...a couple of coathangers and some wire salvaged from the old fencing are a good start!

So now all I need is some ivy (plenty of that around), some holly with berries (in the front garden), moss (foraged from the roadside), some fir cones (erm...well I did have to buy those from the stallholder), some gardening wire (ok ...had to buy that too!) and a bit of ribbon (plenty of that in our resource box)...oh and some chillie peppers (from an old flower arrangement).

All looks a bit of a mess so far but hey ho...this has to be better than Sunday afternoon ironing! First thing is to wind some ivy around the frame and then add in the moss to create a base. A bit fiddly and realise that without some sort of binding the whole lot starts to fall off! So.......off to the local farm shop to buy some garden wire to wind around the structure and pull it all together! Add in the fir cones and it's starting to look promising....interesting bug life emerging too - ladybirds and devils coachmen..will have to put them outside in a mo...

So now - to pretty it all up with some variegated holly with berries, a few bundles of chillie peppers and some ivy berries and flowers to add a bit of colour. Add in a green bow for the final touch and Voila...we have our very own Christmas Bouquet! All from mostly home grown or foraged finds and now hanging prettily in our little porch! Thank you Gardeners World!