Make a Botanical Wreath for Your Holiday Table

Posted in How-to, Learning Experiences, Video on October 29 2008, by Plant Talk

Botanical Crafts with Madeline Yanni — A Centerpiece for All Seasons from The New York Botanical Garden on Vimeo.

Madeline Yanni is an instructor of Botanical Crafts in NYBG’s Continuing Education program.

With autumn and the holidays at hand, it’s an inspiring time to bring the outdoors inside by creating botanical centerpieces, topiaries, wreaths, gifts, and more. Handmade items can save you money and even time—I like to make crafts that, with some interchangeable elements such as candles or ribbons, can be used in more than one season.

The Continuing Education program offers a number of hands-on crafts courses to help you decorate your home with your own creations throughout the year, including this Saturday’s Holiday Crafts all-day program. Even if you’ve never done this before, don’t be inhibited. No experience is necessary. Come take a class or two.

I want to draw out your creativity and whet your appetite for this fun way to decorate with a step-by-step guide to creating a simple, inexpensive, wreath for your table. It can be changed from season to season and can also be used on your wall. It is made from a grapevine wreath adorned with parchment roses, seeded Eucalyptus, other botanicals, and pillar candles—materials available at a crafts store. Feel free to improvise and use other types of botanicals.

As with any crafts project, first read the instructions and collect the necessary materials.

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

See the materials checklist and detailed, step-by-step instructions for creating this seasonal holiday table wreath after the jump.

Seasonal Holiday Table Wreath

Materials
Grapevine wreath (14-inch diameter is a good size)
1 bunch gum tree (Eucalyptus) stems (seeded), preserved and dyed
1 bunch sesame bloom (Sesamum), preserved and dyed
1 bag mini lotus pods (Nelumbo luciter), air dried
10 to 12 wired parchment roses (depending on wreath size; use an even number)
10 to 12 wired parchment rose buds (depending on wreath size; use an even number)
Pillar candles, in the quantity and colors of your choice
Glass dish a bit smaller than the wreath, to catch dripping wax
Glue gun
Glue sticks
Wire cutter
Tabletop easel (optional)

Helpful Hints
• I like to create wreaths on a tabletop easel so that I can better see what I’m doing, but work in a way that’s comfortable for you.
• When choosing a grapevine wreath or any type of wreath base make sure it’s the right size for your table. Keep in mind the amount of food that will be on the table and the size of the place settings. I find that a 14-inch wreath works well for most tables.
• When working with dried or preserved botanicals, begin with the ones that are sturdier and less likely to break and work your way to the delicate botanicals.
• Use a glue gun to secure each piece in place. Make sure to read the directions that come with your glue gun so you don’t burn your fingers.
• Remember not to leave burning candles unattended.

Step 1
Look at your grapevine wreath and decide which side looks the best and which side is the flattest. The flattest side will rest on the table.

Step 2
Take two- to three-inch pieces of Eucalyptus stems and glue each piece into place on a slight angle, alternating from side to side all around the wreath. Make sure to include pieces that have seeds as well as pieces without seeds. If you would like the Eucalyptus to stick out farther, just make sure you have enough room on the table to accommodate the design. When you come around to your starting point, tuck in your last piece under the first Eucalyptus piece. You should not be able to tell where you started or ended.

Step 3
Take a few stems of sesame bloom—I like to use this because it gives the wreath a little fluff—and bunch them together so that all the heads are even. Again, alternate the placement of the sesame bloom from side to side as you glue them into place. The reason for alternating is so that the wreath is symmetrical. Once you’ve mastered this technique, you will be able to create anything. When you come to the end, your last piece should be in the alternate position of the first piece. You should now be able to see your table wreath coming together.

Step 4
Now we’ll use our wired parchment roses and buds. I like to use parchment, which is actually paper, because it looks real and holds up well. Cut the wire “stem” to about an inch beyond the bottom of the rose or bud and position them evenly around the wreath— before gluing them into place. Make sure that you like the arrangement and that it’s all in balance. When you’re satisfied, apply glue to each of the wire stems and insert them into the wreath. Now go back and use the Eucalyptus and sesame bloom to fill in any unsightly gaps. If you’re asking yourself “How do I know if my wreath is filled enough?” this is the rule I tell my students: If you have to ask if it’s enough, it means it’s enough!

Step 5
For extra texture and to bring it up a notch, I like to use mini lotus pods. Not everyone likes the look of them, but I feel it completes this wreath. I purchase the pods without stems, because I rip the back off for a perfect fit. Just add some glue to the back of the lotus pod and place it in between the parchment roses. Now the wreath is completed.

Finishing touches
Place the pillar candles in the center of the wreath. You may chose to use one large candle or an assortment of candles of varying heights. Make sure to place a glass dish under the candles to catch dripping wax. You may also place the wreath on a cake pedestal to make more room on the table.

Seasonal changeover
What’s great about this table decoration is that it can be changed from season to season.
You can replace the candles with an appropriate color and add seasonal botanicals, such cinnamon sticks for winter, lavender sprigs for spring, seashells for summer, and wheat bundles for fall. I don’t glue in the seasonal botanicals just for this reason. Instead, I attach them on a wired pick or use a complementary-colored ribbon. This botanical craft is so interchangeable that it can also be used to decorate your wall by hanging it over a mantle or above a doorway (without the candles, of course!).