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A fresh herbal wreath is a lovely way to welcome guests to your home over the holidays. Hang it on the front door and enjoy both its beauty and fragrance.
The wreath also makes a great centrepiece for the table. Simply place an unscented candle in a holder in the centre of the wreath. To encourage your guests to harvest the fresh herbs, place a pair of small sharp scissors at each place setting. Just be sure to use organic, well-rinsed, edible herbs and avoid any seasonal garnish or berries that are not edible.
1. Soak woody grape vines in water overnight, or until they are soft and pliable.
2. Wrap and twist the vines to create the size and shape of wreath desired. Using floral wire, secure the vines in the shape you want. Allow a little extra wire to create a hook to hang it with. (You can skip these steps by purchasing a ready-made wreath at your local craft store.
3. Clip small bouquets of fresh herbs from your garden. For a mass effect, choose three herbs and clip four bundles of each (for a standard 4-cm/8-in. wreath) Bunches 5 cm (2 in.) thick and 8 cm (3 in.) long are easiest to work with. For fresher, longer-lasting herbs, water your plants 24 hours before harvest.
4. Rinse all herbs and arrange in bunches. Tie the end of each bundle 2.5 cm (1 in.) from the stem ends. Choices for tying include colourful satin ribbon, floral wire, natural jute or raffia.
5. Working around the wreath, secure each bundle using floral wire. Be sure to bend the ends of the wire down and in to prevent scratching.
6. For a seasonal look, dress it up with colourful bows, pine cones or holly.
BEST HERBS FOR WREATHS: lavender, rosemary, silver thyme, silver sage, parsley and chives.
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$14.95