Fresh Hydrangea Wreath
Published July 15, 2012
Now that the summer is winding down, the hydrangea bushes are full of blooms and almost at the end of their cycle. This is the perfect time to clip off the heads of the hydrangeas and use them in a fresh wreath for your front door. The leftover heads may be dried and used later for artificial flower arrangements throughout the winter months.
Materials
- 1- 16″ or 18″ grapevine wreath form (available at Michaels)
- Fresh salal leaves (available at florist shops)
- Sharp pruning shears
- Scissors
- Ribbon (optional)
- Wire (for hanging)
It’s wonderful if you have a hydrangea bush in your garden that you can clip the fresh heads from. Cut the stem on a sharp angle to make it easier to insert into the wreath. Be sure to leave a 4-5 inch stem on the head if possible. If you haven’t already purchased salal branches from a florist, you can easily clip some branches from the salal bushes in your garden. You will need approximately 20 – 30 boughs. Thoroughly clean the boughs before using them in the wreath.
- Loop an 8inch section of wire around the wreath and secure. This will be your hanging wire.
- Start by inserting the salal branches into the wreath from working in a concentric circle in a clockwise direction. Continue inserting the salal branches into the wreath until the wreath is full and lush looking and be sure to fill in the outside sections.
- Once the wreath is full of salal, trim your hydrangea heads of any leaves in the lower 4 inches of the stem. Insert the hydrangea into the wreath pushing through the salal. (You may have to use some wire to secure the head if it appears to be unstable)
- At this point you may add other items to your wreath, such as pinecones and other flowers if you wish.
- Hang the wreath on your door with a wreath hanger or small finishing nail.
Drying Method
Begin by choosing the heads that show a little brown on the edges of the petals. I find this is the best time for drying the flowers. Leave the heads out on a counter or shelf in a warm and dry room. Another option is to hand them with string from one end of the room to the other. Either method will work for drying. If the head shrivels up then the hydrangea was cut too early. Make sure the flower head is in its mature state before clipping. The hydrangeas usually take 2-4 days to dry.