Plants for Wreaths

Grapevines

• Grapevines are the woody vines of the grape plant. Grapevines can be grown, pruned and dried or purchased in lengths of vines or premade wreaths at craft stores and florist shops. If you are pruning grapevines for use in wreath making, prune the vines in late winter to early spring with hand shears, a saw or lopping shears. Allow the vines to dry until all natural plant juices are no longer in evidence. Using dried grapevines, form a circle in the diameter of your choice. Use one very long grapevine, or twine or wire, to wrap around the vines, continually adding more "circles" of vine, until you have built the wreath to the desired thickness. Bows, ribbons or other foliage and flowers can be hot-glued to the grapevine wreath.

Straw

• Straw is a durable byproduct of cereal crops used to create wreath forms. Choose long bundles of straw and form the straw around a core of wire, such as a bent coat hanger, according to your desired wreath diameter. Use wire or twine to wrap around the straw, adding more straw to increase the thickness, and continuously wrapping around the straw. Tuck the ends of stray pieces of straw into the thickness of the wreath or trim away with scissors. Premade straw wreath forms are available at craft stores, some of which have Styrofoam cores. Decorate straw wreaths by hot-gluing foliage, dried or artificial flowers, or ribbons to the wreath.

Plants for Foam Wreath Forms

• Styrofoam or florist's foam wreath forms are available at craft stores and florist shops. Florist foam is green and absorbs water for use in creating fresh wreaths. It is also good for easy insertion of dried or artificial flowers. When creating a wreath with a foam form, foliage and flowers should be arranged by insertion on the form close together so the form core is not visible. Dried flowers, either dried at home or purchased dried, can be inserted into foam wreaths. The Wisconsin 4-H Youth Development program reports that yellow and white dried flowers retain more color once dried. Hang bunches of flowers upside down by their stems, and tie to coat hangers or wall pegs to air-dry for use in wreath construction. Some plants that dry well are cattails, hydrangea, pussy willow, daisies, lilac, pansies, Queen Anne's lace, baby's breath and hollyhocks. Dried foliage and flowers can also be hot-glued to foam wreath forms. Almost any fresh flower with a durable stem can be inserted into a florist's foam wreath. Glue-dry Spanish moss to the wreath to conceal the foam form before inserting plants and flowers.

Plants for Wire Wreath Forms

• Wire wreath forms can be made out of thick wire or coat hangers, or purchased at craft stores and florist shops. It is important to remember that the diameter of your wire form will determine the diameter of your finished wreath. The Wisconsin 4-H Youth Development program says a diameter of about 15 inches makes a medium wreath. Bend wire to the chosen diameter, twist the wire ends together and clip away excess wire with wire cutters. Build the thickness of the wire form by attaching foliage or Spanish moss to the frame with glue, wire or twine. Live foliage such as fir branches, eucalyptus, ivy and holly make excellent wreath foundation plants around a wire form. Add dried flowers or other decorations as desired.