Make your own living spring wreath

What you’ll need

A vine wreath base

Twine

Moss (you can buy this or rake it from the lawn and then rinse off surplus soil)

Small clumps of bulbs in the green (or, if you are making the wreath immediately before Easter, use them in flower) such as dwarf narcissi, muscari, scilla, fritillaria A pile of spring foliage Branches of plum, cherry, ornamental pear, wild hawthorn or hazel with catkins

Optional eggs and feathers

1

“Just use everything that’s out right now,” says Liz Mobbs of her living spring wreath, which is packed with spring blooms to create the prettiest welcome for Easter visitors. She begins with a vine wreath base (which is not only compostable but will also help create a substantial base for the flowers and bulbs) and securely knots the end of the twine around it (the twine will be used in one continuous piece to secure everything). Start with handfuls of moss all the way around the wreath, wrapping the twine tightly around each clump as you go to secure it to the base.

2

Take a small clump of bulbs, or just one bulb – if you use them in the green, the flowers will slowly emerge while your wreath is in situ – and wrap the rootball and soil in a handful of damp moss, then secure this clump on to the wreath. “This is the trickiest bit, so take time to get them in the right place,” says Liz. The soil around the bulbs, along with the damp moss, will keep the bulbs moist. Continue adding clumps of bulbs until you feel you have enough on the wreath, being mindful of the overall weight. This is why she cautions against using anything with a substantial root system such as hellebores, which become too heavy and bulky once they are wrapped in the moss.

3

Next, take small sprigs (around 10-15cm long) of foliage (flowering viburnum or daphne, euonymus, brachyglottis or choisya) and continue tying these in around the bulbs. Tuck the ends into the moss or cover them with more foliage as you go.

4

Then, if you have some, push some pussy willow branches or blossom branches into the moss. “Make it look loose and go with the way the stems go, curving around the wreath,” says Liz. “The leaves or blossom will start to open while the wreath is hanging.”

5

Finally, if you like, add decorative eggs and feathers with a dab of glue. The beauty of the mossed base is that you can decorate as much or as little of the wreath as you choose – leaving a large area of the moss base unadorned creates a more naturalistic design. To hang, Liz suggests keeping it simple with twine. Ensure that the moss is kept damp. In warmer temperatures the wreath will need to be spritzed with water daily or lightly soaked to keep the plants hydrated.