Festive Christmas decorations are a great way to cheer up a dreary hall, porch or patio. And you can save money by creating your own homemade decorations using plants from the garden.
Holly and ivy have been used to make this traditional door wreath with a modern twist. Here, we’ve created a star-shaped decoration, but you could also create a square, circle, heart or even a Christmas tree. The arrangement takes a little care to assemble – the key to success is creating a defined outline and keeping the shape in mind as you gradually build the wreath. Take time to step back and check the decoration from a distance every now and then, and substitute sprigs or trim to fit the shape, if necessary, making sure all the foam is covered.
Don’t worry if you don’t grow any holly or ivy, as you can also create a Christmas mistletoe and box ball, birch and pine wreath, or miscanthus wreath.
Give your home some festive cheer, by creating our holly and ivy Christmas star decoration.
You will need
- 30cm floral foam posy pad (available from florists and florist suppliers)
- Fishing line (available from fishing supplies shops or online retailers)
- Holly with berries
- Flowering ivy
- Pencil
- Kitchen knife
- Garden twine
- Secateurs
Total time:
Step 1
Use a pencil to draw a template of a five-pointed star in the floral foam, and then use your knife to cut out the design. Soak the star in water for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Tie garden twine around the centre of the star to make a loop to hang it from. Hold the star up by the twine to check the angle the star will hang from, and rearrange if necessary.
Step 3
Push the holly into the foam, taking care to maintain the shape of the star, as just one sprig in the wrong place will distort it.
Step 4
Add the ivy flowers at regular intervals. Tie a length of fishing line to the twine at the back to hang the decoration from your door.
