Deck the halls with boughs of holly fa la la la la la la la la
‘Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la la la la la la
(Thomas Oliphant 1862)
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Hedgerow Christmas Wreath
The busy hustle of Christmas is upon us. The dark evenings, the traffic, the bright lights, the warmth indoors, the to do list all before Dec 25th.
It’s all go and buzz, my hedges are my refuge. The winter hedgerow stands dark and serene against the low winter light.
As the festive season nears, my eyes delight with the bounty from nature the hedge bestows. I have foraged my hedges and been rewarded with the gifts of nature, willow, ivy, birch, holly, lichens on the hawthorn branches.
Below I illustrate how I combined the hedgerow offerings to create the Hedgerow Christmas Wreath.
The original advent wreath was created out of evergreens symbolizing everlasting life.
Each December, my hedge becomes a provider of ingredients for Seasonal Decor
HEDGEROW FORAGING LIST
Salix alba (Willow) or any native willow
Ilex aquifolium (Holly)
Hedera Hibernica (Ivy)
Betula pubescens (birch )
Lichens
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Salix (Willow)
Rods should be freshly cut in order to be pliable.
Preferable thickness a little thicker than a pencil
Ilex (Holly) preferably with berries
Hedera (Ivy) bunches of the lovely yellow seed heads
Betula (birch ) bunches of the very tips of the branches
lichens growing on hawthorn
3 meters of green string
1 meter of light pliable wire
1 meter of seasonal ribbon
METHOD
1 Using a long willow rod 120 cm approx. shape the willow rod into a circle, a little larger than a dinner plate.
When the willow has achieved a circle continue with the same willow length to weave around the first circle.
Add a new length of willow into existing circle and again continue weaving in a clockwise direction.
Each new length of willow added, secures and helps maintain the basic circle
willow base wreath has now been created
2 Cut seed heads on short stems approv 7 cm long
Place open bright coloured seed heads in bundles of 6
Tightly secure bundles with 30 cm long lengths of light wire.
Place start of wire paralel to stems of the ivy heads pointed in a downwaed direction
Twist wire firmly around seed head bundles allowing a tail of aapprox 7 cm to hang from the ivy bundles
Ivy seed heads
3 Arrange the holly on the willow in an artistic manner.
Place the holly in a circular fashion covering the complete willow base or it may partially expose the woven willow.
4 Using the tied bundles of ivy seed heads, secure the holly to the willow wreath base with the light wire tails hanging from the ivy bundles.
Add the Lichens covered which add a frosty natural decoration .
Attach the green string to the willow base and weave around the wreath securing the natural foliage firmly.
6 The birch twigs should be cut into lengths of approx 30 cm and added to the string at the back of the wreath on the outer perimeter of the willow base to create a rustic
The wreath may be presented as a full circle or with partial exposure of the woven willow.
The cabbage wreath on native Irish willow base.
Willow woven base
Holly, Bark Ivy seed heads Crab apples
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I walk I pick …..nature always provides.
Christmas Wishes .. Margaret
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