Evergreen material in winter: wreaths and garlands

How a fresh wreath is built, step by step

The frame comes first. A double-ring wire frame, or a vine ring for a heavier look, is the base. Florist wire in 22 or 24 gauge is wound round the ring in advance so that the bunches can be tied without stopping to cut wire each time.

Foliage is then cut into sprigs of roughly 15 to 20 cm. The lower needles are stripped from each sprig so that a bare stem remains to bind against. Working in one direction round the ring, a small bunch of three to five sprigs is laid on the frame, bound with two or three tight turns of wire, and the next bunch is laid so that it covers the stems of the one before. This overlap is what hides the mechanics and gives the wreath its even density. The final bunch is tucked under the first to close the circle.

The wreath is then checked for balance: held up, turned, and any thin patch filled with a spare sprig wired in from behind. A bow, cones or berries are added last, and the wire ends are folded flat against the back so that nothing scratches a door. Accounts of the method, including the sequence of bunching and the choice of ring, are collected in the practical guides on how fresh evergreen wreaths are made, which treat the workshop side of the craft rather than the finished decoration alone.

A wreath made this way holds its shape for several weeks outdoors in cool weather. Indoors, in dry heat, it will drop needles sooner, and no amount of wiring prevents that.

Is a noble fir wreath better than a mixed evergreen wreath?

Neither is better in the abstract; they behave differently and suit different positions.

Noble fir has stiff, upward-growing branches with strong, blue-green needles and excellent needle retention. It holds a formal shape well, resists drooping on a heavy ring, and is the usual choice where the wreath must stay crisp through a long season or be shipped. Its cost is higher, and its density means a noble fir wreath can look almost solid, which some find less varied than a mixed wreath.

A mixed conifer wreath combines several species, typically fir for structure, pine for length and scent, and cedar or arborvitae for a softer, draping texture. The result is a fuller, more varied surface and a stronger fragrance, at a lower material cost. The trade-off is that the softer species dry out faster, so a mixed wreath may need to be hung later in the season or kept in a cooler position.

In practice the choice follows the job. A sheltered front door under a porch, where the wreath is seen close up, suits a mixed wreath. An exposed door, a commercial entrance or a wreath that must travel suits noble fir. For garland on a stair rail, where the greenery is handled and brushed against, the stiffer noble fir holds its line better; for a mantel, where the garland lies still, a mixed garland gives more texture for the same money.

How much garland for a porch rail, a mantel or a staircase?

Garland is sold by the running metre, and the quantity depends on how much drape is wanted.

For a porch or deck rail, measure the rail and add 30 to 50 per cent for swagging. A 3 metre rail hung in gentle loops takes about 4 to 4.5 metres of garland. If the garland is to be doubled, or wrapped rather than draped, allow double the rail length.

For a mantel, the shelf is usually 1.5 to 2 metres wide. A single straight run takes that length plus a little for the ends; a draped mantel takes 2.5 to 3 metres. Where the garland is to fall down both sides of the fireplace, add 60 to 90 cm for each drop.

For a staircase, measure along the handrail from newel to newel, not the diagonal in a straight line, and multiply by 1.5 for a light swag or by 2 for a full, closely looped garland. A typical flight with a 4 metre handrail therefore asks for 6 to 8 metres. Banister garland is usually fixed with zip ties or florist wire at intervals of 30 to 40 cm, with the loops supported so that the weight does not pull the whole run down at one point.

A useful rule for any position: order about a quarter more than the measured length, because the first metre always disappears faster than expected once the ends are dressed.

What keeps the greenery green

Fresh evergreen material loses moisture through its needles from the moment it is cut. Three things slow that loss: cold, shade and moisture at the stem.

Outdoors in winter, a wreath or garland needs little beyond being hung out of direct sun and away from a warm wall or an extractor vent. Indoors, the same material may last a week or two at most in a heated room. Misting the foliage every day or two helps; soaking the whole wreath briefly in cool water and letting it drain before hanging helps more.

For garland, the cut stem ends can be stood in a shallow container of water if the run is short and the container can be hidden. Where that is not possible, a light spray is the practical option. Wreaths on a wire frame cannot be soaked as easily as those on a vine ring, which will absorb water and release it slowly.

Needle drop is the signal that the material is finished. A wreath that sheds when brushed has dried past recovery and should be replaced rather than sprayed.

Choosing the ring and the fixing

Ring size follows the door, not the other way round. A wreath of 60 to 75 cm suits a standard domestic door; a door of 90 cm or more, or a double door, takes 90 cm or larger. A wreath that is too small on a wide door reads as a spot rather than a welcome.

Fixings matter as much as the wreath. An over-door hanger avoids nails and holds the weight on the top edge of the door. Adhesive hooks are adequate for a light wreath on a clean, dry surface but fail in cold or damp conditions. On a door with a glass panel, a suction cup with a metal hook is the usual answer, provided the glass is cleaned first.

For garland on a stair rail, the fixing points should be at the balusters rather than between them, so that the load is carried by the structure. On a mantel, a few small hooks under the shelf edge keep the garland from sliding and leave the shelf usable.

Matching the material to the position

The same conifer behaves differently in each position. A door wreath is seen face on and close, so density and even needle colour matter most. A mantel garland is seen from below and to the side, so length and drape matter more than perfect symmetry. A stair rail is seen in passing and from a distance, so the silhouette of the loops carries the effect.

That is the practical case for keeping two materials on hand: a stiff fir for structure and a softer, longer-needled conifer for fill and scent. Used together, they cover the door, the mantel and the stair rail without any one of them looking thin.

Wreaths and garlands use cut evergreen material, but the same foliage left growing in a garden behaves differently, since a hedge or windbreak changes light, root competition and airflow for whatever grows beside it. Readers who want to know how windbreaks, evergreen and deciduous hedging affect a spring bulb bed, and how close tulips and other bulbs can be planted to a hedge, will find those questions set out in the notes on shelter around a bulb bed, which keep the garden record separate from the wreath-making described above.