There is something rather satisfying about looking around the garden and finding that what might otherwise be composted can be turned into something beautiful. At Eagle House Eccleshall, we are always looking for simple ways to reduce waste, reuse what we already have and make the most of what our garden provides.
Our latest little project was making a wreath using prunings from our wisteria. Wisteria is wonderfully useful for this because the young, long stems can be surprisingly flexible. When pruning our plants, I chose some of the longest and bendiest pieces rather than putting them straight onto the compost heap. Here are the prunings, next to the wisteria so you can see just how much useful material can come from a little bit of garden maintenance.
Making the wreath
I started by soaking the wisteria stems in a bucket of water. You may not need to do this, depending on how fresh and flexible your prunings are, but I found that it made them a little easier to work with.
I then used a large pan as a guide to help me create the circle. This might sound like an unusual piece of equipment for wreath making, but it worked brilliantly! By bending the wisteria around the outside of the pan, I could keep the shape round and even. Without a guide, it is very easy for a wreath made from long stems to gradually become more of an oval.
Once I had created the basic circle, I tied the stems together at various points using small pieces of string. I then took more lengths of wisteria and threaded them in and out of the circle. This helped to strengthen the wreath while also giving it a lovely natural, slightly rustic appearance.
There are lots of different ways you could make a wreath. You could weave each stem in and out as you go, or even try plaiting several stems together. I found my method a little less fiddly, particularly when working with longer pieces, and using the pan gave me a nice neat circular shape.
You can also experiment with different sized pans or bowls to create wreaths of different sizes. Make a small one for an internal door or a larger one for a front door or garden gate.
Let nature do the finishing work
Once I was happy with the shape, I left the wreath somewhere dry for a few days. As the wisteria dried, it shrank slightly. This was actually rather useful because I could then cut away the pieces of string I had used to hold everything together.
To finish it, I added a green bow made from an old piece of ribbon and a few dried flowers from some baby’s breath. I then hung it on our front door.
I love that it looks pretty without needing to buy lots of new decorations or materials. It is also biodegradable and compostable once you have removed anything that is not natural.
The decoration can easily be changed throughout the year too. In autumn, you could add dried seed heads, fallen leaves, acorns, conkers or small pine cones. For winter, try evergreen foliage, holly, ivy, rosemary, eucalyptus or fallen twigs. In spring, dried grasses, blossom and naturally fallen flowers can create something much softer and lighter.
What else could you use from a UK garden?
Wisteria is just one possibility. Depending on what you have growing, other natural materials that can work well for wreaths include willow, hazel, birch twigs, dogwood, ivy, honeysuckle, clematis stems and flexible young branches.
You can also decorate your wreath with things that have already fallen naturally, such as pine cones, seed heads, dried flowers, grasses, leaves, feathers and small pieces of bark. Herbs such as rosemary and lavender can add colour and fragrance too.
The important thing is to use what you already have wherever possible, rather than buying new materials specifically for the project. Avoid anything treated with chemicals, and always make sure you are allowed to collect anything from outside your own garden.
A little example of regenerative tourism
For us, this simple wreath represents something much bigger than a garden craft project.
Sustainability at Eagle House is about reducing our environmental impact, but regenerative tourism goes a step further. It is about looking at how our business can leave a positive legacy for the place we are lucky enough to call home.
Our approach includes growing fruit and vegetables in our garden, composting our food waste, collecting rainwater for the garden, encouraging local wildlife and avoiding unnecessary purchases wherever we can. We also support local independent businesses and encourage our guests to explore Eccleshall and the surrounding Staffordshire countryside.
These are all small actions, but together they form part of the way we run Eagle House.
Making a wreath from something that would otherwise have been garden waste is a lovely example of this approach. It costs very little, creates no waste and encourages us to look at the resources already around us in a different way.
Perhaps that is one of the nicest things about staying somewhere like Eagle House. We hope that when guests visit us, they not only enjoy a comfortable and relaxing stay, but also take home a few ideas for enjoying Staffordshire and living a little more sustainably.
So next time you prune your garden, take a second look before putting everything on the compost heap. You might just have the beginnings of a beautiful wreath!
If you would like to experience Eagle House for yourself, we would love to welcome you to Eccleshall. Our beautiful Grade II listed home offers luxury Bed and Breakfast accommodation as well as our self catering Eagle’s Nest Apartment, making it a wonderful base for exploring Staffordshire, enjoying the countryside and discovering the independent businesses and attractions on our doorstep.
Why not come and stay with us and see what makes Eagle House, Eccleshall so special?
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