Try your hand at making your own wreath using dried or fresh lavender from a Michigan source!
What You’ll Need:
- 2-4 grapevines to make your wreath base (or a pre-made wreath base)
- 2-4 bunches fresh or dried lavender
- Floral twine (or any small-gauge, flexible wire you have around the house)
- Wire cutters
- Snips or garden shears
- 10” jute, sisal, or hemp garden twine
Making the wreath:
Skip this step if using a pre-made wreath.
Strip off the leaves of your grapevines, if there are any. Take the longest vine and form it into a circle (you choose what size!), wrapping it around itself to secure it in a circular shape. Use floral twine to hold it together if necessary, but it should hold the form by itself.
Add more vines to your wreath until you’ve reached the desired thickness.
Add lavender to the wreath:
Take a small bunch of your lavender and use your floral twine to attach it to the front of the wreath base. Wrap the wire around the stems and wreath several times until it’s secure. If using fresh lavender, be sure to make the wire very tight, as the stems will shrink as they dry.
Trim the stems so they are as short as possible while still securely attached to the wreath. You’ll want the stems and the wire to be easily hidden by the next bunch of lavender.
Take a second small bunch of your lavender, and repeat the same step. Hide the wire wrapping from the previous bunch with the flowers from the second by overlapping your bunches.
Continue in the same pattern until you’ve filled as much of the wreath as you’d like! Use your creativity and make it your own! Going all the way around will lend a full, symmetrical wreath while only covering part of the wreath base (as shown) is more asymmetrical and whimsical.
If you go all the way around, make sure to tuck the last stems under the flowers from the first bunch. It can be tricky but take your time!
If you decide not to complete the full circle, use the garden twine to hide the wire wrapping on your last bunch.
Hang your wreath:
On the back of the wreath, form a small loop using the floral wire and attach it to the top of the wreath. Use this to hang your wreath on a nail or wreath hanger.
Share your creation with us on social media using the hashtag #tastethelocaldifference!
Carrie Hause is the Digital Media Specialist for Taste the Local Difference. Contact her at [email protected].