The holidays are a visual feast at House of Blooms in Raritan, which provides beautiful, bespoke arrangements to clients year-round. Lucy Sandler, owner and lead designer, loves to share her passion for arranging flowers with the community in a variety of ways. House of Blooms offers wedding and event flowers, everyday retail arrangements, a subscription service and seasonal DIY workshops.
“Part of why I like arranging flowers and why workshops are so fun for participants is simply because it feels good to work with your hands,” Sandler says. “It’s a sensory experience—touching the foliage, smelling the scents like pine and cedar, experiencing how they all blend together.”
Making a holiday wreath is easy, she says. “You’re working with something that's already pretty so you can't mess it up. The mechanics for wreath-making are simple: It’s repetitive and since you’re binding the items loosely it’s almost impossible to botch. As long as you make a circle, your wreath will look great and last all season.”
To order flowers or learn more about House of Blooms’ services, visit houseofbloomsnj.com. Follow the House of Blooms team on Instagram @houseofbloomsnj.
Create a Holiday Wreath
Supplies
3–4 types of seasonal greens (Sandler’s favorites are cone cedar, magnolia foliage and pine. You can also select a quality artificial green.)
2–3 types of accents (Sandler likes to use eucalyptus greens and pinecones.)
A 12-inch to 16-inch ring or hoop (You can purchase this from any craft store, either a simple ring or a specific wreath base. A wreath base will give a more structured look.)
22 gauge floral wire cut into 5”–6” strips
Wire cutter
Garden shears
Ribbon or twine for hanging or a wreath holder for display
Instructions
- Place newspaper on your workspace or be in a space that is easy to clean up.
- Separate out your different foliage and accents.
- Make 18 to 20 bunches of mixed foliage, each about 6” to 8” long. Use at least one sprig of every type of foliage; if you want a fuller wreath, use two sprigs. Bind them at the base with floral wire.
- Attach the bunches to your ring or wreath base one by one using the wire, overlapping them slightly in a clockwise fashion. Be sure to wrap each bunch tightly a couple of times to ensure everything is secure.
- Adjust as needed. Take a step back and see if you have any holes. You may need to add another bunch to fill out the wreath perfectly.
- Add accents with floral wire. Add a bow (or three), pinecones, seasonal flowers or herbs—whatever your heart desires to make your wreath uniquely yours.
- Hang your wreath from a holder on your front door or loop ribbon or twine around the top and hang over a nail.