Here’s how to make your own Preserved Boxwood Wreath, beautiful in Spring, but perfect for any season because it won’t lose it’s color, and embellishments can easily be changed for different holidays or times of the year.
First, gather your materials. You will need: A birch or grapevine wreath form in your desired size (ours is a 16 inch diameter), 3-4 bundles of Preserved Boxwood branches, a coil of moss covered wire, utility scissors and wire cutters, and any decorative items you wish to use (we used a small birds nest and found some faux eggs to finish it off).
Next, remove the boxwood from the packaging and use your utility scissors to trim off the thick stems, leaving branches about 6-8 inches long. Note: These are REAL preserved and dried branches of boxwood. You will lose some leaves during the wreath-making process. Be careful in handling the branches to minimize this, but overall it won’t damage the finished product. In making this wreath we lost only a small handful of leaves.
Next place 2-4 of the shorter branches together and use a 3 inch length of moss wire to secure them together, about an inch from the cut stem. Continue bundling the branches together until you have all of your cut branches in groups.
Now use longer lengths of moss wire to secure the bundles of boxwood branches to your wreath form. Simply slip the moss wire under a few twigs on your birch or grapevine wreath, place a bundle of boxwood on top, and twist the moss wire firmly to secure. Trim the ends of the moss wire and tuck them under the bundle to make them invisible. Stagger your bundles as you move your way around the wreath form. All of the bundles should be facing the same direction, laying the leaves over the stems of the previous bundles.
As you are placing your boxwood on the wreath form take a step back every now and then to make sure that you are covering the front of your wreath form and that the boxwood is creating a good shape. You can always remove, rearrange, and replace bundles, so don’t worry if at first it is asymmetrical.
Continue arranging the boxwood until your wreath form is completely covered and arranged the way you like it.
Add any embellishments, securing with moss wire, ribbon, hot glue, or whatever attachment you prefer, and place your wreath on display. We recommend that these wreaths be used indoors, or in a sheltered area outdoors. Intense sunlight, wind, or moisture may shorten the life of your preserved boxwood wreath.
We displayed ours on an entry way console table with a vintage window and a curly willow ball. Love the way it adds a sophisticated touch of Spring to the living space.
Happy Creating!
