Living Wreath – How to make a living wreath with succulents
August 10th, 2009 by admin
As I was browsing around my favorite local garden center, I spied a brand new shipment of BEAUTIFUL succulents that had just arrived! (I try to stop in often so I can jump on any unadvertised sales, and to see what’s new.)
Well… as I was taking in the beauty and intricacies of each little plant and trying to find a way that I could use them in my home decor, I came to the conclusion that it is time for me to try my hand at creating my own living wreath!
Because you build a living wreath out of different cuttings and not whole plants, it won’t be extremely expensive to create. I will be very careful to buy only those plants that will produce several cuttings for me to work with, which will also help to keep my costs at a minimum.
The types of plants, shapes, colors and sizes that you choose to work with are all up to you & your particular tastes, so you will be able to create something that you will truly love & enjoy for years to come!
Soon, as your living wreath begins to grow, you will be able to take cuttings, which you can then share with a friend, or use to create new wreaths to give away as gifts!
Here are a few pictures to help give you some ideas on how to create your own living wreath.
Video – How to make a living wreath using succulents
What is your biggest question about creating your own living wreath? Post it in the comments below, and we will try to answer it for you!
Those are beautiful! I think I may have to try one.
How would one care for it in the winter months when it had to be moved indoors?
I’m in TN (zone 6 or 7 I think).
Lana,
First of all, think about the succulents that you pick to plant your wreath with, and how they would grow in the garden. Many people enjoy planting their little succulents in small crevices of a rock, and they overwinter just fine. So, if you’ve chosen winter hardy succulents, you can simply lay the wreath plant side up in a safe place in your garden (that’s what I can do – and I am in a zone 4/5). If you don’t have a garden, you could put it under a step or porch, or in an unheated garage. Treat it like you would the rest of your garden… if you mulch for the winter – mulch right over the wreath as well.
I used to think that the plants would live just fine if I brought them inside for the winter, but this is ONLY true if you use “tender” succulents – or those that do not endure freezing temps.
Pearl
Wow, I never realized how beautiful succulents could be. I would love to have a wreath like that for my front door but I don’t have much of a green thumb.
Diane,
That’s the beauty of these “little gardens”! They are SO easy to care for, and don’t really require any special “thumb” to help them survive!
Once you plant them:
1. Lay them down for a couple of weeks before you hang them up – this gives their little roots some time to develop.
2. Water every 2 weeks or so – by laying the wreath bottom down in a bucket/pan large enough to hold your wreath. Let it soak for an hour or so. During the growing season, your hardy succulents will like some water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Grow’s 10-15-10. Just add it to the water according to the product directions. Do not feed during the dormant winter season.
Be sure to let it drip dry on a drying rack or table before hanging up – otherwise the water will drain down the side of your house/door.
Tip: If your goal is to have your wreath grow in a uniform way, be sure to rotate it by 1/4 every week or so. Also be sure to rotate it in the same direction each time.
That’s it!
I know you can do it! Give it a try
Pearl
Hi Pearl! I’ve also been interested in these living wreaths, but always figured they were too…intricate for me to work with. I’ll take a look at the video and then decide!
I do however want to “gush” over that wreath in the third picture. They’re all attractive, but the first one is too bland for my liking. The second one is lovely, but is too “perfectly round”. The fourth one looks like it has served its purpose and needs to be cut back. But the third one – ahhh, that’s the one! So bright and colorful! So full! I just love it, it’s perfection!
Don’t get me wrong, I’d gladly take any one of these if it were offered to me. The above was just my mental “process of elimination” towards picking my favorite! I really would like to be able to put one of these together!
Leslie,
I know you can do it!! Since they’ve been on your mind in the past, you can now take a chance & try your hand at making one! What do you have to lose? If all else fails… simply stick the cuttings out in the garden
* About the “fav” wreath…
That’s the beauty of these living wreaths… you can pick your most favorite cuttings & then arrange them in any way that pleases you!
Let us know how your new creation comes along
Pearl
Amazing, i particularly like the top one. I stopped by having follwed your link on Enchanted Inspirations
Oh how lovely!
Wow, those are gorgeous! I am loving your blog! I just came by today via a link to your gorgeous newspaper beads. They’re amazing! I would love to link to some of your projects if you didn’t mind.
Rachel,
Thanks for coming by, and for your kind words. Feel free to link to any project – as long as you link to the article itself – and not just the images… but I know you already know that
…Beautiful.
Pearl, these are so nice! I’d love to try making one, but the how-to video link seems to be gone. Has it been taken down? And the additional tips about rotating, watering, and leaving it flat at first are great! Thanks so much!
I love succulents and those wreaths are just gorgeous. You are so talented!
Wow Pearl thats fabulous!!!
I especially love that first one, the colors are so beautiful! I have some Echeveria and Sempervivum in my Garden but I never thought of making a wreath out of them!
Great idea!
Warmest wishes sends you
Carola
This is amazingly lovely — I never would have thought of doing this type of wreath. It is gorgeous!
Cass
I have been eyeing these wreaths in magazines for some time. I love the 2nd “perfectly round one” and the 3rd “colorful” one. I think my biggest fear about making one myself is how long it might take. In the video (which was great), there were two ladies working on it eventually. I love your site too!
[...] of the posts, and found something interesting on a blog I previously mentioned. There’s a tutorial for living wreaths made from succulents. I hate to admit that I kind of love these, especially the [...]
what is the thickness of the moss needed to plant starter succulents in a wreath?
Thanks
Fred