Saturday 18 December 2021

The Holly And The Ivy

 How hard can it be? That woman on Gardeners' World, Kirstie Allsopp and every body else on TV says it is easy-peasy to make a wreath for your door. "All you need is a wire ring, some reel wire [that's wire on a reel not real wire] moss, and lots of lovely greenery." they say.

I took my trusty big flower bag, my very tall husband, and a pair of secateurs - and we went for a good long walk, foraging in the lanes. I found holly, ivy, cupressus, cotoneatser, and other stuff I'm not able to name. And an old fence covered in moss.

I had made a mistake with my ring [ordered online] it was way smaller than I'd expected. But it didn't matter. But Kirstie and co never said how hard it is to wire prickly holly in place! With gloves your hands are protected, but it is not so easy to manipulate things. I worked outside in the garden. My artist neighbour admired it from over the fence, and suggested I needed more red on the right hand side [she was absolutely right]

Then I discovered there was no easy way to hang it on the front door. So Bob helped me to suspend it from the light. Now I am glad that it is no bigger - it fits very neatly above the slate nameplate.

I put one of my circular decals on the door instead. [please note reflection of slimmer photographer!] But there was a great deal of foliage left in the bag...

I took the lid off my red enamel coffee jug to make a small table arrangement. And used my larger IKEA jug to do a display for the window sill.

I do not have any antique chairs- so can't do the National Trust thing of putting a holly sprig on the seats to prevent visitors sitting on them!

I also have some lovely scented narcissi displayed behind my 'Willow Tree' nativity. A gift from a kind friend following our recent bereavement. I think that Cornerstones is suitably decorated now!






15 comments:

  1. Never easy working with holly. A wire coathanger bent into a circle can also be used as a ring. I like your wreath and all the xmassy displays. Great job.

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    1. For the first time I can remember, I was unable to find a wire coathanger anywhere in my house. I think they were all decluttered before we moved

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  2. It all looks very festive, Angela. :)

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  3. I too made a wreath. Bought a wire circle and then stuffed it with moss from the lawn.It's easier if you wire little bunches of greenery together and then fix them on to the moss. Failing all, use a glue gun! Your wreath looks splendid.

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    1. I should have rung you for advice! I have realised now that prewired little bunches would have been easier than longer strands. But I am not dismantling it now!

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  4. As someone who used to make up and sell a few Holly wreaths every year from my little shop, I can confirm that they are very ouchy to make!!

    Yours looks lovely and I love your red coffee jug filled with Christmassy foliage.

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    1. Thank you - this is the one time of year the jug gets used - but never for coffee !

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  5. Your wreath looks lovely, I have zero artistic ability, so I cheat and buy a ready made one!
    I'm imagining how those beautiful Narcissi smell, I haven't had any since Easter! X

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    1. My sense of smell is working (sporadically) They smell gorgeous!

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  6. Lovely wreath and indoor displays, too. So nice to see such a variety of foliage, especially the red holly berries. We don't have holly growing around here. My DH doesn't like wreaths so I make a door swag instead. Our door has a metal surface, so I can use a heavy duty magnetic knob and hang any decoration from that, year round.

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    1. That's a very intelligent approach, using a magnet!

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  7. I used to make a holly wreath - much, much too prickly.

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    1. I like the spray style decoration you have this year... It looks lovely

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  8. Angela, Well done you, when are you starting the courses. Very lovely looking. You can use the green garden wire and loop it to hang on the door or you can get in the shops some roughly S shaped large shaped hooks that are a bit more squared off wreath hangers in the shops. I have a red one which works indoors and outdoors. xxx

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    1. Unfortunately the top of the door frame is such that you cannot hang anything over it except possibly very thin wire. I had a metal wreath hanger at our previous house, but it's completely the wrong shape here.

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