This floral wreath suggests a nod to the past with petunias, impatiens and alyssum in shades of white and pinks. When choosing the flowers that will bloom in your wreath, keep in mind the wide variety of options. Flowers provide wonderful color and texture contrast to the stark beauty of a weathered barn door. Color, texture and shape can be a wonderful showcase in wreath form. There can be grand and small-scale designs to suite every occasion and situation.
Plant material that is very young, even before the flower color shows, is easier to plant and the most capable of making the adjustment to the living wreath base. Select healthy plants that are still in bud and that have loose roots. Mature specimens look tempting in the nursery, but they invite failure.
| 15-inch wreath base |
| 40 seedling plugs in a mixture of varieties |
Planning the Design
Pick an array of plants that will showcase charmingly open faces bursting with summertime color. I used a combination of white and pink petunias, impatiens and alyssum. My wreath can be used solely for inspiration. Choose whatever colors suit your mood or garden. Other flower varieties that work beautifully in living wreaths are pansy, lobelia, nasturtium and begonias.
Get started by first laying out your design on a work surface. Cluster petunias and impatiens together, and add in alyssum in equal areas around the wreath to give billowy softness. Once you have a good design planned, you can start planting.
Prepping the Plants
Gently remove plants from their plastic pots. Using forceps, scrape off excess soil to expose the roots.
Planting the Flowers
The planting technique for a floral living wreath is near the same as planting a succulent wreath. Start by poking holes into the wreath form using forceps or a screwdriver.
Spacing plants every 3 to 5 inches, depending on the plant size, is not too close. Wreath plants are spaced much closer than if they were growing in a garden.
If the root ball is small enough, gently squeeze it to fit the slit in the base and ease in the roots with the forceps. Large older plants will be nearly impossible to plant into the wreath form. Try rinsing the soil off the root ball to reduce the size without damaging the roots. With forceps, ease the roots into the slit you have made in the wreath base.
Don’t plant in the inner circle of your frame, or the round wreath shape will be lost. It’s also helpful to note that a finished planted wreath is approximately 4 inches larger than the wire wreath base form.
This wreath should remain flat for two weeks before hanging.
Care
Mixed flower living wreaths do best in sun or partial sun with evenly moist soil. Shade diminishes the bloom cycles, and in hot weather a weekly fertilizer application will keep the plants producing. Regular pruning and removing faded blooms will help maintain a healthy wreath.
Water the wreath by fully submerging in water once or twice a week for two to three minutes or with a long and gentle soak with a garden hose. If watering by hose, spray a stream of water over the wreath, wait a few minutes and then repeat the procedure to allow the wreath to become fully saturated. Drain well before rehanging.
