How to create an alternative Christmas wreath

This heart-shaped wireframe, stuffed with foraged pine cones, echinops seed heads, and crab apples, is a fresh twist on the traditional Christmas door wreath. To shape it, use an off-cut of 13mm-gauge chicken wire. It’s possible to make any shape you like, so if a heart isn’t for you, choose a star or a circle.

Follow our six easy steps to create your own alternative Christmas wreath, with materials from the garden.

Looking for ideas for plants to gift this Christmas? We share our favourite Christmas plants and flowers.

You Will Need

• Dried fruits
• Flowers
• Seedheads
• Chicken wire (13mm gauge)
• Cream emulsion paint tester pot
• Paint brush
• Garden wire, galvanised
• Raffia
• Fuse wire
• Wire cutters
• Pliers

Total time: 1 hour

Step 1

Cut an 80cm length of galvanised wire, and bend it into a heart shape, joining the ends at the bottom. Make another to match.

Step 2

Using the wire heart as a template, cut two larger heart shapes out of the chicken wire (roughly 15mm wider all the way round).

Step 3

Use short twists of fuse wire to tie the heart-shaped outline to the chicken wire, moulding it into a shallow frame. Take time to bend the chicken wire (you may want to wear gloves for this), tucking any sharp edges out of the way with pliers.

Step 4

Give both hearts two coats of paint, allowing them to dry in between. When the second coat is dry, bind the hearts at one side with fuse wire.

Step 5

Fill the open heart with foraged materials, putting the most delicate objects at the top. They should stay fresh through the festive season.

Step 6

Close and secure the frame with fuse wire. Attach a bunch of dried chillies or seedheads to the front with raffia. Use raffia to tie it to your door.