Make an Elegant Floral Hoop

FLOWER magazine’s Jessica Cohen creates her version of the ever-versatile floral hoop, a modern take on the wreath
14-inch floral hoop covered with greenery and blooms
Jessica Cohen displays a floral hoop she created using gardenias, spray roses, and Italian ruscus.

Inspiration

Flower magazine recently unboxed High Camp Supply Company’s Gardenia Vine and Bloom Box. These gorgeous, fragrant gardenias are perfect for weddings, as well as bridal and baby showers. I wanted to use them to create a versatile prop that anyone could make—a floral hoop.

A modern-day twist on the classic wreath, floral hoops are on trend, easy, and versatile. Use one to welcome your guests at the door or gate during a party or shower. On a smaller scale, a floral hoop can serve as a bridal bouquet or adorn the chair back of a guest of honor. On a larger scale, hang hoops in trees with twinkling lights at a wedding reception, or use them as backdrops for photographs. The possibilities are endless.

Floral hoop hung on a natural wood front door

For this floral hoop, I used simple but elegant flowers—gardenias and white spray roses nestled into lush Italian ruscus. The green and white color combo is classic. In the video below, I show you how to make your own at home. But first, here are the materials you will need.

Materials

  • Gardenias – individual blooms and long stems with multiple blooms
  • Spray Roses
  • Italian Ruscus
  • Wooden Embroidery Hoop – 14 inches
  • Paddle Wire – 22 gauge
  • Corsage Tape – ½ inch green
  • Ribbon – 1 ½ inch
  • Clippers
  • Scissors

FLORAL HOOP Tutorial

Steps

1 | To attach greenery: Bind stems of Italian ruscus to the hoop using small pieces of floral wire. Twist together the ends of the wire to secure tightly.

2 | Repeat Step 1 until you have covered the entire hoop with greenery. Trim any extra wire.

3 | To attach gardenia blooms (those without long stems): Pierce center of the stem at the base of the bloom with a 9- to 10-inch length of floral wire; pull wire halfway through. Then fold down the ends and wrap around the top of the stem. After the bloom is tightly secured, twist the wire down to create a wire stem.

Jessica Cohen stands at a wrought iron gate decorated with a floral hoop of gardenias, spray roses, and Italian ruscus

4 | Wrap the wire stems with corsage tape. Start at the top of the stem and work your way down. Roll and squeeze the wire with the tape using you fingers and thumb. Pull and stretch the tape as you work down the stem.

5 | Next, attach gardenia blooms by wrapping the wire stems around the hoop. Use a cluster of blooms to mask the hoop’s hardware.

6 | Attach long-stemmed gardenias by placing the stems flat along the hoop and wrapping with wire. Lush gardenia stems with several blooms and leaves will help cover up any mechanics.

7 | Repeat Step 6 until half of the hoop is covered in gardenia blooms.

8 | For the final touch, add pops of spray roses. Simply tuck in the stems throughout the design.

9 | Last, cut a piece of ribbon, and your floral hoop is ready to hang.

How to Keep A Floral Hoop Fresh

Place the hoop in a plastic bag and spritz with water. Tie off the bag and keep in the fridge until needed. Spritz the hoop with water throughout the day of the event. You can also place stems in water tubes and wire them into the design.


Produced by Jessica Cohen

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