“My inspiration for this design comes from the utmost authority on palette and texture, Mother Nature,” says Karin. “During autumn, boldly colored blooms coordinate with the season’s abundant fruits and vegetables. We are immersed in a chorus of garnet, copper, amber, rust, crimson, chestnut, bittersweet, clove, olive, and maize.
“For a fall wreath, I selected florets and foliage that dry well,” she explains. “They form a long-lasting base that can be infused with fresh flowers again and again. I included a new favorite, the strawflower. Strawflower maintains its shape and vivid color for a long time, making it an ideal element for low-maintenance wreaths.”
Fall Wreath Tutorial
Materials
- Magnolia branches
- Juniper branches
- Pear tree foliage
- Cypress branches
- Boxwood
- Pincushion protea
- Poppy pods
- Strawflowers
- Sheet moss
- Dahlias
- Yellow spray roses
- Orange spray roses
- Kangaroo paw
- Leucadendron
- Dried cotton
- Nandina foliage
Tools & Supplies
- 1 wire wreath form
- 1 spool of floral wire
- Straight floral wire
- Wire cutters
- Shears
- Snips
- Floral tape
- Water picks
Step 1
Begin by clipping a dozen magnolia branches about seven inches long, and pull off any dead leaves.
Step 2
Clip about nine juniper branches, each four inches long. Bundle three together, and wrap a piece of straight wire around the bottom of the stems. Continue cutting, bundling, and wiring the pear tree foliage, cypress, and boxwood in a similar fashion until you have multiple bundles of each.
Step 3
Once all of this greenery is prepped, it’s time to bundle the strawflowers. Strip off the leaves and cut about 15 stems four inches from the top of each bloom. Then put the strawflowers in groups of three, and wrap each group together with floral tape so you don’t break the soft stems. Continue this process with the poppy pods using floral tape.
Step 4
The prepped materials will be secured to the wreath form with one long, continuous strand of wire from the spool. Wrap the end of the wire around the form, tie it in a knot, and leave the wire attached to the spool until the wreath is complete.
Step 5
Where the wire is tied, hold a magnolia branch on the form, and place a bundle of greenery on top of it. Wrap the spool of wire around the magnolia branch and greenery to secure them in place. (While creating the entire wreath, always place the magnolia on the bottom, but alternate the type of bundled greenery over it to add variety.)
Step 6
Then add either a bundle of strawflowers or poppy pods, or a single stem of pincushion protea, and wrap it with the spool of wire. (Again, mix up the order of flowers to avoid repetition.)
Step 7
Place a sheet of moss over the stems on the form, and wrap it with wire. Then fold another sheet of moss around a pick filled with water, place it over the moss on the form, and wrap it with wire. The first section of the wreath is now done.
Step 8
Repeat steps 5 through 7 around the form until it’s completely covered, and remember to alternate the types of bundled greenery and flowers. Then carefully lift the wreath, cut the wire from the spool, and tie it in a knot.
Step 9
Place either a single dahlia or a stem of spray roses in each water pick, and fill in any empty spots around the wreath by sticking in long-lasting stems of kangaroo paw, leucadendron, cotton, and nandina foliage.
Your festive fall wreath is complete. Replace the fresh blooms in water picks as needed.
Produced by Alexandra Schmitt | Photos by Annabella Charles