With Spring just around the corner, thoughts turn to the outdoors and to gardening. It’s a good time to get a jump on your Spring decorating by freshening up your front door with a Hydrangea Wreath, designed by Elaine Martin of Vintage Gardener. This is the signature wreath for the floral designer.
You start with a foam base and with sprigs of salal. “Salal is great greenery to use because as it dries, it turns the colour of sage,”explained Martin. “Also, it is one of the few deciduous trees, along with Magnolia, that when its leaves dry, they won’t fall off.”
Your salal needs to be prepped by cutting off the stem close to the small node next to the leaf. “You need to be aware that the stem will shrink as it dries, and the weight of the leaf will make it fall if not cut properly,” Martin said.
Once leaves are cut to appropriate size, you can start inserting them, on an angle, around the foam base, at least 2 to 3 inches deep. “Insert the leaf as flat as you can with one quick shove. “If you try to insert it slowly because you’re nervous, you’ll create a large hole and the leaves will fall out when dried.”
Continue layering around the outside of the entire base. Once that’s complete, hold it up and decide which way is up.
“Then take an organza ribbon, wiggle it through the greenery, pull it through, then make a slip knot and let the ribbon drape down,” Martin explained. “Now we can add flowers.”
Martin uses hydrangeas but because of their size, they need to be trimmed and cut. “It’s similar to preparing broccoli or cauliflower.”
Using a floral pick, wire the stem of the hydrangea, then insert it into the foam, on an angle. “Tuck the flowers in and make sure they’re nestled among the leaves.”
Then all you do is keep adding, tucking and nestling until you get the look you want.
Martin offers workshops at her location in Toronto’s Historic Distillery District where clients can learn how to make their own wreath, which they can take home.
For more information visit www.vintagegardener.com.