Fresh Evergreen Wreath: Bundling Greenery onto a Wire Frame
Cut evergreen tips, gather them into small mixed bundles and bind them around a wire frame with one continuous length of paddle wire.
Tutorial at a glance
Materials
- 12 in (30 cm) wire frame
- Fresh evergreen branches, enough for about 20 to 24 bundles
- Paddle wire
- Pruners and wire cutters
- Gloves
- Ribbon for a bow (optional)
Cut branches into short tips, gather the tips into small bundles, and bind the bundles to a frame with one unbroken length of wire: that is the whole method behind a fresh evergreen wreath. Nothing is glued, so the frame can be stripped and used again once the greenery has dried out.
The worked example here uses a 12 in (30 cm) wire frame and tips about 6 in (15 cm) long. Because the tips fan out past the frame on both edges, the finished wreath comes out at about 18 in (46 cm) across. A 14 in (36 cm) frame built the same way gives a wreath roughly 20 in (51 cm) across, so decide where it will hang before you choose.
What You Need
- A 12 in (30 cm) wire frame
- Fresh evergreen branches, enough for about 20 to 24 bundles (a full grocery bag of cut tips is a fair guide)
- A paddle of green paddle wire
- Pruners for the branches and wire cutters for the wire
- Gloves, because needles prick and sap is sticky
- An old sheet or paper to cover the table
- Ribbon for a bow, optional
If you are still choosing a base, the comparison of wire, grapevine, foam and straw wreath bases explains why a wire frame suits bound bundles so well: the rings give the wire something to pull against.
Choosing the Greenery
Use greens from your own garden or bought bunches. Cut from other land only with the owner’s permission, and do not gather any plant you cannot identify with certainty. Some evergreens, yew among them, are poisonous if eaten, so keep cuttings and fallen needles away from young children and pets.
Two or three kinds of greenery make a livelier wreath than one. A sturdy type gives the bundle its body, a softer type drapes over it, and a third adds a change of color or texture.
| Greenery | Role in the bundle | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Fir or spruce | Back layer, gives body | Spruce needles are sharp |
| Pine | Back or middle, adds volume | Long needles, sticky sap |
| Cedar or cypress | Front layer, drapes | Flat sprays hide wire well |
| Juniper or boxwood | Accent on top | Different color and texture |
Preparing the Bundles
Cut the branches into tips about 6 in (15 cm) long, and strip the needles from the bottom 1 in (2.5 cm) of each stem so the wire grips bare wood. Keep the tips close to the same length. A few long pieces among short ones make the outline bumpy.
Make each bundle from three or four tips: the sturdy piece at the back, a softer one in front, an accent on top, stems lined up at the bottom. Lay the bundles in a row as you make them. Preparing them all first lets you bind without stopping, and you can see at a glance whether you have enough.
Binding Around the Frame
Twist the end of the paddle wire firmly onto the frame where a crossbar meets the rings. From this point the wire is not cut until the last bundle is on.
- Wire the first bundle. Lay a bundle on the frame with its tips angled slightly outward. Wrap the wire around the stems and the frame three times, pulling hard on each turn. Leave the paddle attached.
- Overlap the next ones. Lay the second bundle so its tips cover the wired stems of the first, pointing the same direction, and wrap it three times. Alternate bundles slightly toward the outer edge, the center and the inner edge so the whole width of the frame is covered. Keep going around.
- Tuck the last under the first. When you reach the start, lift the tips of the first bundle, slide the stems of the last bundle underneath, and wire them there. The first bundle’s tips drop back over the join.
Cut the wire, leaving a tail of about 6 in (15 cm). Wrap the tail around the frame, twist it off, and bend the cut end back into the greenery, since cut wire ends are sharp.
Tip
Keep the paddle close to the frame and pull each turn tight. Fresh stems shrink as they dry, and a wrap that is only snug today will be loose later.
Finishing and Adding Accents
Hold the wreath upright and shake it gently. Loose bundles need another turn of wire, and thin spots can be filled by pushing single tips under an existing wrap. Trim any piece that breaks the round outline.
A bow at the bottom or the top is the classic finish. The steps for making a layered loop bow from wired-edge ribbon end with wire tails that twist straight onto the frame. Cones are another natural accent, wired on in a small group as shown in the pinecone wreath tutorial.
Common Problems
- Frame shows on the inner edge. The bundles all sat toward the outside. Tuck short tips along the inner ring.
- Bundles slip sideways. The wire went around needles, not bare stems. Rewrap lower down.
- The wreath is flat on one side. Bundle size drifted as you worked. Add single tips to the thin stretch.
- The join is obvious. The last bundle was laid on top instead of under the first. Unwrap the last turns and tuck it under.
Hanging and Care
Twist a loop of wire onto the back of the frame at the top for hanging, and check the weight rating and surface instructions from the maker of your hook. Sizing and door clearance are covered in the guide to choosing and building a front door wreath.
Fresh greens are cut plants. They dry out, change color and shed needles, faster in warm rooms, sun and wind. A cool, shaded, sheltered spot is kinder to them, and a light misting of water on the back may slow the drying, but how long a wreath stays fresh depends on the plant and the conditions.
Watch out
Dry evergreen burns very easily. Keep the wreath well away from candles, fireplaces, heaters and light bulbs, and take it down once the needles turn brittle.
When the greenery is finished, snip the binding wire, compost the plant material and keep the frame for next time.
Frequently asked questions
Why should the paddle wire stay uncut while binding?
One continuous wire keeps tension on every bundle, because each new wrap also tightens the one before it. Separate short pieces each need their own twist and tend to work loose as the stems shrink. Cut the wire only after the last bundle is tucked under the first.
Which evergreens are good for a fresh wreath?
Fir, pine, cedar, cypress, juniper and boxwood are all commonly used, and a mix of two or three gives more texture than one alone. Use only plants you can identify with certainty and have permission to cut. Some evergreens, such as yew, are poisonous if eaten, so keep cuttings away from children and pets.
How do you keep a fresh evergreen wreath looking good?
Hang it in a cool, shaded, sheltered place, since warmth, sun and wind dry the greens faster. A light misting on the back may help. It is a cut plant and will dry and shed whatever you do, so take it down when the needles turn brittle and keep it away from any heat source.
