(3) With a slant on foraging, Hannah Stephenson joins a Christmas wreath-making masterclass with a top floral school to find out how it’s done. So often, we resort to spending money on Christmas wreaths each year which, if we did a bit of foraging in our own gardens, we could do ourselves. “At the moment there is a strong pull towards what grows in the wild, along with a focus on sustainability,” explains Sophie Powell, principal at the world-renowned McQueens Flower School (mcqueens.co.uk) which is running ‘foraged and found’ wreath-making masterclasses in the run-up to Christmas. With the basic raw ingredients, you too can create your own sustainable and inspiring design to adorn your front door, she insists. So how can you do it? Look in your garden Take clippings from evergreens such as cypress, taxus and holly, making use of seasonal berries, and keep any Christmas tree clippings to re-use in the wreath. Ivy is also a good candidate, as are rosehips, seed pods, fallen acorns, fir cones and conkers. If you want to forage for bits and bobs from your local woodland or forest, check with your local authority first. Invest in the basics If you buy a metal frame, you’ll be able to use it year after year, says Powell. You’ll also need a spool of sturdy florist’s wire as well as either sphagnum moss or carpet moss to cover the frame. Do this by adding clumps of moss and securing it by looping the wire around the frame as you go, until the whole frame is covered. Ideally, the moss needs to be wet before you start adding the foliage and earthy additions to the wreath. Add raw materials to get the look Apples and oranges can be cut into circles and dried on a […]