A little spring whimsy

Viola-filled wreaths

This week, I snuck in a garden project I’ve wanted to do for ages - plant a living wreath. I did a version of one with bulbs wrapped in moss (think kokedama wired onto a wreath - see the picture below), but I have not planted one where the whole wreath was living plants. Just spring bursting out of a wreath! The process took about 15 minutes. It was easy to assemble, and I love how it looks hanging near our side entrance.

The video below walks you through all the steps, but here’s a list of the supplies and steps in case that is easier for you. I’m hanging this wreath in a slightly shaded area so it won’t dry out quickly. To water, I take it down, lay it on the ground, and water it well. After it has drained a bit, I hang it back up. While I used violas, alyssum, and helichrysum - primroses, ivy, pansies, and other trailing plants would be great alternatives. The key is to use plants that stay low or trail. If your weather is warmer, you could use succulents or other small summer plants. Don’t want to hang it up? Leave it on a table with a glass hurricane and a candle in the middle for a beautiful centerpiece. You could also put it on a pretty tray. Either way, it would be a stunning spring decoration. Worried about the damp back of the wreath? You could add some moisture-proof backing (like plastic) to protect your door or wall.

Supplies:

• Wire Living Wreath form with core liner. Here’s the one I used: wreath form, but there are lots of options online

• Sheet Moss (I used fresh, but you can use dried)

• Plants: violas, alyssum, and helichrysum

• Potting Soil

• Wire florist wire

Steps:

1. Add a small amount of potting soil to the wreath form.

2. Plant your flowers and plants into the wreath form - add more potting soil as needed. I packed my plants very closely and tightly.

3. Fill any gaps and sides with the sheet moss, tucking it into the wire form to hold it in place.

4. Use florist wire to hold any moss that might be loose around the side. I wrapped it twice around and then firmly twisted the wire together.

5. While the wreath is lying flat, water it well and leave the wreath flat for 2-3 days so that the plants can settle into the wreath.

6. Hang the wreath in a partly shaded area. As it is moist on the back, I would not hang it where you are worried about moisture touching a surface. You could also attach a liner to the back of your wreath if you are worried about moisture.

7. Note: I did not use the top wire holder that the wreath came with, but if I were using smaller plants, I would consider it. It has been fine without the top holder.

Here’s the wreath resting for a few days before getting hung.

Here’s the wreath I made a few years ago. The muscari and tete-a-tete bulbs and the ivy are all wrapped in moss and then wired to the wreath.

Have questions? Leave them below!

Happy Spring, my friends!

Susan