Create a Stunning Autumn Wreath – Orlaith Murphy

Using Foraged Foliage from Your Garden

Wreaths are no longer just reserved for Christmas! With the changing seasons, your garden becomes a treasure trove of vibrant foliage and flowers, perfect for creating beautiful, natural wreaths that add a cosy, autumnal touch to your home. Whether for your front door, mantle, or a focal point in your living room, a homemade wreath crafted from foraged materials brings a sense of warmth and connection to nature.

Forage in Your Garden: A Simple Pleasure

Making a Autumn wreath is easier than you might think, and best of all, you don’t need to be an expert florist to create something truly beautiful. A few clippings from your garden or local green spaces can go a long way. The key is to embrace the beauty of the season’s fading flowers, changing leaves, and wild berries.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to make a wreath that celebrates autumn using supplies you can easily forage. It’s a relaxing, creative activity that also allows you to bring a bit of the outside world into your home.

Supplies You’ll Need:

Secateurs (or any sharp garden scissors)
Florist wire
Vines (such as dogwood or willow)
Berries (like privet or rosehips)
Seasonal flowers (e.g., hydrangeas, goldenrod)
Foliage (anything that catches your eye—perhaps some colourful autumn leaves or ferns)

Step 1: Build Your Wreath Base

The first step is to create a sturdy base for your wreath using flexible vines. If you have dogwood or willow in your garden, these work wonderfully due to their long, bendy stems. Start with one stem, bend it into a circle, and tuck the ends in to secure it. Continue wrapping additional stems around the base until you’ve reached your desired thickness. Don’t worry about making it perfect—wreaths have a natural, slightly wild charm!

Step 2: Forage for Your Foliage

Now for the fun part—take a walk through your garden or nearby woodlands to gather your materials. You’ll be amazed at what nature offers in the autumn months. Look for flowers like hydrangeas and goldenrod, which will dry beautifully over time, along with berries, grasses, and textured foliage. Remember to clip a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours to create depth and interest in your design.

Pro tip: If you’re not sure what to use, start with what’s already fading and drying on the plant—it will keep longer once added to your wreath.

Step 3: Prepare Your Cuttings

Before you begin attaching your foliage to the base, remove any larger leaves from your clippings. As the wreath dries, leaves tend to fall off and can make a mess. Smaller, more delicate leaves or seed heads, however, will dry in place and add a lovely rustic feel.

Step 4: Start Arranging

Lay your foraged materials out in front of you and start arranging them on the wreath base. Don’t attach anything just yet—this is your chance to play around with different combinations and see what works best. Balance out textures and colours, perhaps placing clusters of berries next to a larger flower head or weaving in long grasses for movement.

Step 5: Attach Your Foliage

Once you’re happy with your arrangement, it’s time to start securing your cuttings. Attach the wire to the back of the wreath base, then wrap small bundles of flowers, berries, and foliage around the vine, securing each one with the wire as you go. Continue this process until your wreath is full and lush, leaving a 6-inch wire tail at the end to tie everything off.

Step 6: The Finishing Touches

To cover any visible wire, take a few more flexible vines or thin branches and weave them over the top of the wire, tucking in the ends to hide them. Flip the wreath over and twist any extra wire around the stems to secure them further.

Step back and admire your work! If you feel like your wreath could use a little more, don’t be afraid to zhuzh it up by adding extra flowers or berries. Just bundle them together with a bit more wire and tuck them into the wreath until it looks perfect to you.

Step 7: Hang and Enjoy!

All that’s left to do now is hang your autumn wreath in pride of place! Whether on your front door or displayed indoors, it will bring the beauty of the season right into your home.

Bonus: Embrace the Natural Fade

One of the wonderful things about using natural materials is watching how they evolve over time. As the flowers dry and the foliage fades, your wreath will take on a more rustic, earthy look. When it’s time to update your decor for Christmas, simply swap out the autumn foliage for festive evergreens, holly, or dried citrus slices.

Get Inspired by Nature

There’s something deeply rewarding about creating your own decorations, especially when you’ve foraged the materials yourself. It’s a way to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the changing seasons. So grab your secateurs, step into the garden, and see what autumn treasures await you. Happy foraging!

Orlaith