Easy & elegant wreaths

Sunset, Dec, 2000 by Kathleen N. Brenzel

Bold and beautiful, the wreaths of flowers, foliage and cones are easy to make

Whether bursting with crimson flowers, thick with red berries, or simply elegant in contrasting greens, a wreath you've made yourself offers the warmest of greetings. Florists or supermarkets supply festive flowers by the bunch, such as carnations in Christmas red or white with red stripes. In Western gardens, trees and shrubs offer up ripe-for-picking rose hips, California pepper berries, nandina berries, and pyracantha berries. Many shapes of cones are available; if trees in your own garden don't supply them, you can buy them at craft stores and florists' suppliers. Nontraditional greens such as golden junipers and arborvitae can add sparkle to an underpinning of more traditional pine, redwood, or spruce. A gorgeous ribbon or a cluster of flowers adds panache as a finishing touch.

Five wreaths are pictured on these pages--follow our directions to copy them exactly or let them inspire your own creations.

First, some tips. Each wreath starts with a base of wire, wood, plastic-backed floral foam, woven grapevine prunings, or twigs--most are sold ready-made at craft stores or specialty florists' supply stores. It's easiest to cover the inside edge of the base with plant material first, then the outside edge, and finally the front. To add flowers, foliage, pods, or cones, glue or wire them over the base.

Christmas carnations

Wreaths of puffy red carnations bring fragrance and color to Joanne Johnson's inviting entryway. Nearly invisible fishing line is looped around the tops of the wreaths and attached to the doorjamb with finishing nails to hold in place. For added support and color, ribbons run through the centers of the wreaths and fasten to the top of the door frame with tacks. The wreaths last for a week or more outdoors. (Johnson spritzes the floral foam ring with water from a spray bottle as needed.)

TIME: About 45 minutes

COST: About $25 (plus $60-$90 for carnations)

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

* 3 1/2 feet fishing line (available at hardware stores)

* Clippers and scissors

* 15-inch plastic-backed floral foam ring

* One packet flower preservative

* 75 carnations

* 2 yards ribbon

DIRECTIONS

1. Tie fishing line around the top of the floral foam ring, knotting it and leaving the ends long for hanging.

2. Pour flower preservative into a water-filled tub, stir, then drop in the foam ring. Soak foam for 1 hour. Remove and let drain briefly.

3. Keep carnation stems in water while you work, removing several at a time to add to the wreath. While holding stem tips under water, cut several stems to about 2 inches long. Starting on the inside of the foam ring, poke these shortened stems into the foam so the flower heads sit flat and petals touch. Continue around the inside, then cover the outside; do the front of the wreath last.

4. Hang wreath by fishing line. Add ribbon.

Golden highlights

Many Christmas memories are associated with the smell and look of evergreens. This festive wreath uses fresh-cut golden conifer foliage to perk up the greenery. A lime-gold satin ribbon accents the golden highlights; pinecones can be added (see far left).

TIME: About 90 minutes

COST: $15 (plus about $20 for evergreens if your garden doesn't supply them)

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

* Clippers and wire cutters

* 10 branches green conifers

* 20 branches golden conifers

* Spool of coated 22- or 24-gauge florist's wire

* 16-inch heavy-gauge wire wreath base from a craft or florists' supply store

* 8 feet of wired, greenish gold ribbon

* About six pinecones (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut branches into pieces about 6 inches long. Separate by variety. Make bouquets of five to six stems that mix both kinds of greens; wrap wire several times around bouquet stems. Lash a bouquet to the wire base with florist's wire; do not cut wire.

2. Position another bouquet so the tips overlap stems of first bouquet; attach with the continuous strand of wire. Repeat, adding bouquets around the base. Tie off the florist's wire and cut off excess.

3. Make a decorative bow from the ribbon and attach it to the wreath with wire. Attach a sturdy loop of wire to the back of the wreath for hanging.

4. To attach pinecones (optional), wrap a length of florist's wire around the large end of a pinecone and twist the ends together. Nestle the cone in the foliage, wrap ends of wire around to the back of the wreath base, then twist ends together.

Berries by the bunch

Here's a great way to show off the beautiful red berries of the California pepper tree (Schinus mole). If you don't have a tree, you may be able to find the berries at a florist's or on-line at www.floralconcepts.com A less pricey substitute is rose hips, eucalyptus pods, or pyracantha or holly berries.

TIME: Three hours

COST: $40 (plus about $100 to $150 for berries)

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

* One roll medium-gauge fishing line

* 21-inch plastic-backed floral foam ring

* 10 bunches California pepper berries (approximately 20 berry clusters per bunch)

* Spool of coated 22- or 24-gauge florist's wire