A wreath that smells of the garden

Come the first proper cold snap, there is a particular pleasure in heading out with a trug and a pair of sharp secateurs. The garden is still full of good things — glossy ivy, sprigs of rosemary, the last of the bay, a few berried stems from the hedge — and a handful of clippings is all you need to make a wreath that looks and smells far lovelier than anything mass-produced. This is slow, gentle work: the sort of job to do at the kitchen table with a pot of tea and the radio murmuring in the background. The finished article, hung on a door or above a fireplace, carries the scent and character of your own plot.

The method below is the traditional one — a bent willow ring, small bunches of evergreen, and twine. There is no florist's foam, no wire frame, nothing that cannot eventually be composted or unwound and used again.

What to gather, and when

Evergreens hold their colour best when cut in cool, dry weather. Damp foliage tends to go mouldy once it is packed tightly, so avoid gathering straight after rain, and never cut on a frosty morning when the stems are brittle. Aim for a mix of textures so the wreath has depth rather than a flat, uniform green.

• Structure: conifer, yew, holly, bay and ivy. These give bulk and hold their shape.
• Scent: rosemary, thyme, myrtle, eucalyptus and a few sprigs of pine.
• Contrast: variegated holly, ferns, seed heads, dried hydrangea, rosehips and bare twigs.
• Accents: crab apples, sloes, teasels, or a few dried orange slices from the autumn preserving.

Cut stems 15–20cm long, and gather roughly twice as much as you think you need — a wreath swallows foliage at a surprising rate. Keep everything in a bucket of water in a cool shed until you are ready to work.

Bending a willow ring

You need a base before you can dress anything. Willow is ideal because it is supple when freshly cut and stiffens as it dries. Cut long, whippy rods about a metre in length, ideally between late autumn and early spring while the sap is down. If you have no willow, dogwood, hazel or even a length of honeysuckle will do.

Soak dry rods overnight in a bath of water to make them pliable again, then bend one into a rough circle about 25–30cm across, twisting the ends together. Weave a second and third rod around the first, threading each one over and under so the ring thickens and firms up. Tuck the loose ends in neatly rather than cutting them — they will shrink and hold as the ring dries over a week or so. A well-made base should feel springy but not floppy.

Tying small bunches with twine

This is the heart of the craft, and once you have the rhythm it becomes wonderfully meditative. Sort your foliage into small bundles of five to eight sprigs, mixing textures within each bunch and keeping the stems roughly level at the bottom. Lay a bunch against the willow ring so the leafy heads point outwards and slightly clockwise.

Wrap garden twine firmly around the stems and the ring three or four times, tying a secure knot. Do not cut the twine — simply carry it along the ring to where the next bunch will sit. Lay the following bunch so it overlaps the stems of the one before, hiding the binding, and repeat. Work your way steadily around the ring, keeping the bunches evenly spaced and the outer edge of the wreath as full and round as you can manage. When you meet your starting point, tuck the final bunch under the first and knot the twine off tightly at the back.

Finishing touches and hanging

Stand back and look at the wreath from a metre away before you call it done. Fill any thin patches with a spare sprig pushed into the twine, then add your accents: berries, dried fruit, a few rosehips, perhaps a small cluster of cinnamon sticks tied with the same twine for a warm, festive note. Restraint suits a country wreath; three or four well-placed additions will do more than a busy assortment.

For hanging, loop a length of twine around the top of the ring at the back and knot it into a generous hanging loop. A small nail or an over-door hook is plenty. If your door is exposed to wind, tie a second loop lower down and secure it to the door knocker so the wreath cannot swing.

Keeping it looking fresh

A handmade wreath will happily last three to four weeks outdoors in cool weather. Mist it lightly with water every few days, and bring it inside if a hard frost or gale is forecast. Indoors, keep it away from radiators and open fires, which will dry the foliage and cause the needles to drop. When the season turns, unwind the twine, compost the greenery and store the willow ring somewhere dry — it will serve you again next year, and look all the better for it.