Easy Tutorial for a Holiday Wreath (with Lavender, Eucalyptus and Fir!)

The holidays don't have to be scented with just cinnamon and cloves and decorated in reds and greens!  Working dried lavender's muted grays, greens and purple tones into holiday decor creates a unique twist to the look of the season.

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, lavender's timeless floral aroma can be just the breath of air needed during the bustle of the holidays.  Lavender's soothing, calming, and relaxing aromatherapy attributes can be especially beneficial through the seasonal shopping and family obligations, and the stress these activities can sometimes carry with them.

How to Make a Lavender Wreath

 

Tools and Materials:

To make your lavender wreath, you'll need the following items:

• a wreath form (You can purchase a metal form from your local craft store or make your own from vine cuttings or long, slender twigs for free!)
• garden clippers or scissors
• floral wire (and floral tape or rubber bands, optional)
• lots of greens of your choice to cover your wreath form 

You can opt for a variety of textures or simply go for a modern, uniform look — the possibilities are endless!  We used some fresh fir clippings (salvaged from a large branch that had recently fallen in our neighborhood!), a bunch of eucalyptus from our florist and one of our bouquets of long-stemmed Lavandula x intermedia "Grosso" lavender flowers.

 

Instructions for Assembly:

• 1. Clear a large working area and gather all your supplies.  (We recommend working outside if possible - it will get a bit messy!)
• 2. Wrap the end of the floral wire several times on your wreath form to secure the wire.  
• 3. Unwind about 8-12" of wire and extend it toward the center of the wreath form.
• 4. Take 3-5 stems of your greens and florals and form a small bouquet.* You can make a bundle of all one type of green, or make a mixed bouquet - artist's choice!
• 5. Trim the stems.  We trimmed ours to be about 8" long for our 16" wreath form, but you may clip your stems longer or shorter, depending on the size of your wreath or the style you're looking to achieve.  Longer bunches will give a looser look; smaller bundles will have a more refined, tighter look.  
• 6. Hold your mini-bouquet against the wreath form at a 30-45 degree angle. 
• 7. Holding the wire in one hand and pressing the bundle of greens firmly against the wreath form in your other hand, wrap the wire tightly around the form 2-3 times until the bundle feels secure against the wreath form.  Do not cut the wire. 

 

• 8. Repeat steps 3-7, positioning your new bundles over the stems and alternating the angles of each new bundle before attaching them so that they begin to cover the entire wreath.
• 9. When you have come to the beginning of your wreath, simply loop the wire around the wreath form as you did in step 2 to secure the wire in place.  Option: if you used a twig wreath form, you may opt to make a small loop out of your floral wire at this point to create an easy way to hang your beautiful new creation!

*Depending on how loose the bundle feels, you may want to secure each of your small bouquets with wire or floral tape before attaching them to your wreath form.

One of our favorite things about this method is that you can re-use the wire and the form next season!  Simply unwrap the wire from your wreath form and you have a fresh frame and wire to use again next year.  Waste not, want not!

Of course, the season's demands don't always allot much time for creative DIY projects like these.  That doesn't mean you have to miss out on adding lavender's beauty and relaxing aroma to your home this December.  Take a peek at some of our beautifully handcrafted dried lavender creations here – or perhaps carve out some time for a decadent self-care routine with lavender instead?

We hope you'll enjoy the luxurious and aroma additions of lavender to your home this joyful season.
Happy Holidays!