Learn how to make a natural wreath with boxwood to add to any hutch, window, or even bed frame. Simple and practically free!
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I am working to add a few new touches to our home for spring. I am desiring fresh, simple, and natural touches around the house to welcome in the spring season and my first step was to add some greenery with one of the few green things around the farm- boxwood. I spent the morning with my little one collecting boxwood and figuring out how to make a natural wreath with boxwood for our kitchen window. But now I have leftover boxwood cuttings spread across my hand-me-down farm table and I may just make up some for every hutch door, paired with a little ticking stripe or buffalo check ribbon. I also added some of the cuttings to ironstone pitchers and mason jars and added them to our master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room.
It won’t be long before the flowers are out of control in the cut garden and every ironstone pitcher and mason jar I have is filled with beautiful sunflowers, zinnias, and daisies. The house just comes alive with fresh flowers in every room. The tulips and the daffodils are even starting to bloom now and found their way into my favorite vessels. These arrangements paired with this DIY natural wreath adds the green touches I was looking for.
I love to use natural and functional elements to decorate our home. I find that this is the way the truly simple farmhouse style I love is done. A decorated space is made by hanging the worn-out ticking stripe apron in the kitchen, changing out seasonal linens around the bedroom, and bringing in fresh flowers or greenery to represent what is happening on the farm right outside my door. All of this truly compliments the time my family spends at home. The kitchen is my favorite to decorate this way. I love peering through the breezy handmade cafe curtain over my kitchen window that overlooks the barn, while cooking a delicious dinner of fried chicken and deviled eggs with homemade ice cream for dessert. I don’t buy a lot of decor (unless you count antique baskets, pitchers, and furniture hehe) and I really only like to change out linens seasonally and add a few natural touches around the house. I find that by adding just a few things, my house has the simple farmhouse look and feel that I desire while still remaining clutter-free and easy to care for.
So with that said, this wreath has that naturally wild and less-than-perfect look to it. It’s a little rustic, simple, and maybe not so professional looking (or professionally made). And it has just the perfect amount of simple farmhouse style that I love. If you don’t have that same style, you could still use this idea and way of making a wreath but pull in the reins a little. You could make it bigger, more uniform, and polished, add a silk ribbon, or even use a different type of greenery altogether- the possibilities are endless. Especially since there is no form or extra pieces to stand in your way. The basic shape is made with the boxwood and then layers are added to create the specific style.
And did I mention I made this for free? Okay so the floral wire was $2.99 (originally but I got it for 40% off) BUT it was bought for another project of mine so I had it in my craft cabinet already. You get a lot of wire for just a few bucks. And the boxwood cuttings came from our farm.
Now if this isn’t truly simple farmhouse style, I’m not sure what is. You are going to want to add one to every window in your home!
Tips
- This is a basic boxwood wreath but you could add other greenery, dried florals, ribbon/fabric, or even dried fruit to add other elements to this wreath.
- Use it as a base and layer to create the look you desire. You could lay all of the greenery a certain way to create a very uniform and polished wreath or you could leave sprigs of greenery out to give a more natural look. You could also make this as big or small as you would like.
- Perfect for any season since boxwood is evergreen. It could be dried and adjusted for each season by adding to it.
- You could preserve the boxwood first to create a wreath that could be kept and stored away. This method is fresh and the greenery will eventually become crispy and won’t last. I don’t like to store decor and love to make new decor with each season so I love to use it while it is fresh.
FAQ
How long will a natural wreath last?
I have had fresh greenery last for months but it truly depends on what type of greenery is used. This natural wreath made from boxwood could last 2 weeks-a few months. What I love about natural decor is that it is used for the season and then it is gone. No need to store and keep track, and it is a fun craft or project to bring excitement with each season.
You could preserve the greenery prior to making the wreath to make it last longer and use it year after year though.
What do you need to make a natural wreath?
Believe it or not, you can make a natural wreath with just greenery and floral wire! That is what I have done here. There are also bases made of metal, styrofoam, and grapevine that can be utilized too but they add to the cost. When I use these bases, I usually will use them for a season then remove the greenery and reuse the base for a new wreath.
Is it cheaper to make your own wreath?
Natural wreaths, especially boxwood, can run you a pretty hefty price. I made this very simple one for free, so yes! And with the materials I have, I can make a bigger one for our door and/or several others for around the house.
What greenery to use for wreaths?
I chose boxwood this time since it is late winter, almost spring, and not much is green. But for Christmas adding cedar or pine would be nice. Holly and ivy are also great greeneries for wreaths. And eucalyptus is always a favorite.
Equipment
Fresh Greenery
Floral Wire
Scissors or pruners
How To Make A Natural Wreath From Boxwood
Start By Gathering Your Greenery
I used sheers to cut long branches and stems from the shrubs in our landscaping. I cut big bundles and later cut them down to size.
Cut Bundles and Long Stems Down
I brought all of my bundles inside and cut the individual stems off of any larger branches. Naturally, there was a mix of large, medium, and small sprigs of boxwood.
Make The Base Shape
To begin making the wreath, I actually just attached individual larger pieces of boxwood with floral wire, overlapping each piece a bit. This created a really long string of boxwood, similar to a garland.
Several times during this process I picked up each end and held them together to see how large my wreath would be and once I reached the desired size, I stopped.
Once long enough, I attached the two ends with floral wire.
It helped to cut several 3-4 inch pieces of wire at a time so that I could just grab them and wrap them around the branches tightly without having to lay the wreath down to cut, then fix the wreath again before wrapping it with wire.
Once you have your basic round wreath shape (don’t worry if it looks terrible, mine did), you can decide if you want to wrap a continuous length of wire around the base. I did not do this step but after I realized this would help both with the structure of the base shape and also with the layering process that is next.
If you choose to do this, I would take one end of your roll of wire and start at the top of your wreath, and wrap the wire in about 1-inch sections until you get back to the top. This will help hold the greenery base together and give places to poke more greenery into.
Layer To Create The Desired Look
Lay a bundle or two of greenery in the same direction and wrap floral wire around the stem to attach it to the base of the wreath. Then lay a few more bundles down the same way, covering the previous stems and floral wire with the greenery.
If you did a continuous wrap of the base, you can stick the stem ends into the different sections of the wire to help hold them in place better.
Add a few layers until all floral wire and stems are covered. Add extra sprigs to create a more natural look, if you desire.
Create A Way To Hang The Wreath
If you are going to be using ribbon, cut a ribbon or piece of fabric to the desired length. I do this by wrapping my ribbon around the top of the wreath and tying it. Then I test how long I want it by hanging it where I plan to put it. I usually cut it a little longer to accommodate a bow or tie so that the ribbon is a loop.
For this wreath, I wanted it to hang at the top of my kitchen window so I used floral wire to create a hook. I took a long piece of wire and folded it in half. Then I twisted the bottom portion to create a loop at the top.
To attach it to my wreath, I just held the looped end where I wanted it on the back of the wreath, and then wrapped the other end of the wire around the top of the wreath.
I added a little nail above my kitchen window and hung my wreath up. It has added such a special little touch above my sink. Now to sew up a springy cafe curtain to go with it!
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More DIY Projects:
DIY Natural Wreath With Boxwood
Learn how to make a natural wreath with boxwood to add to any hutch, window, or even bed frame. Simple and practically free!
Materials
- Fresh Greenery
- Floral Wire
Tools
- Scissors or pruners
Instructions
Start By Gathering Your Greenery
I used sheers to cut long branches and stems from the shrubs in our landscaping. I cut big bundles and later cut them down to size.
Cut Bundles and Long Stems Down
I brought all of my bundles inside and cut the individual stems off of any larger branches. Naturally, there was a mix of large, medium, and small sprigs of boxwood.
Make The Base Shape
To begin making the wreath, I actually just attached individual larger pieces of boxwood with floral wire, overlapping each piece a bit. This created a really long string of boxwood, similar to a garland.
Several times during this process I picked up each end and held them together to see how large my wreath would be and once I reached the desired size, I stopped.
Once long enough, I attached the two ends with floral wire.
It helped to cut several 3-4 inch pieces of wire at a time so that I could just grab them and wrap them around the branches tightly without having to lay the wreath down to cut, then fix the wreath again before wrapping it with wire.
Once you have your basic round wreath shape (don't worry if it looks terrible, mine did), you can decide if you want to wrap a continuous length of wire around the base. I did not do this step but after I realized this would help both with the structure of the base shape and also with the layering process that is next.
If you choose to do this, I would take one end of your roll of wire and start at the top of your wreath, and wrap the wire in about 1-inch sections until you get back to the top. This will help hold the greenery base together and give places to poke more greenery into.
Layer To Create The Desired Look
Lay a bundle or two of greenery in the same direction and wrap floral wire around the stem to attach it to the base of the wreath. Then lay a few more bundles down the same way, covering the previous stems and floral wire with the greenery.
If you did a continuous wrap of the base, you can stick the stem ends into the different sections of the wire to help hold them in place better.
Add a few layers until all floral wire and stems are covered. Add extra sprigs to create a more natural look, if you desire.
Create A Way To Hang The Wreath
If you are going to be using ribbon, cut a ribbon or piece of fabric to the desired length. I do this by wrapping my ribbon around the top of the wreath and tying it. Then I test how long I want it by hanging it where I plan to put it. I usually cut it a little longer to accommodate a bow or tie so that the ribbon is a loop.
For this wreath, I wanted it to hang at the top of my kitchen window so I used floral wire to create a hook. I took a long piece of wire and folded it in half. Then I twisted the bottom portion to create a loop at the top.
To attach it to my wreath, I just held the looped end where I wanted it on the back of the wreath, and then wrapped the other end of the wire around the top of the wreath.
I added a little nail above my kitchen window and hung my wreath up. It has added such a special little touch above my sink. Now to sew up a springy cafe curtain to go with it!
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