As you already know I’m all about keeping traditions alive (read about St Nicholas & how we celebrate it here) and one of my favourite Christmas traditions is definitely making an Advent wreath. Bold red ribbons, fir twigs that make your home smell like a magical patch of forest, glistening and sparkling in the flickering candlelight. All this makes December dinners that one bit more festive and cosy! And you know what? Let’s make an Advent wreath together this year – it’s ever so simple!
Traditional Advent wreaths are made out of fir twigs, pine cones, wire ribbons, perhaps even some fake snow. But that would be boring, wouldn’t it! You can find a million and two blog posts on traditional wreaths scatted all over the internet. What you won’t find that easily though is an Advent wreath made out of flamboyant Azaleas! For their buoyant shapes and vibrant colours these plants make all winter doom and gloom go away before it’s even arrived. Azaleas stimulate creativity and are a great energy booster for these dark days we’ve been having. No wonder they’ve been chosen as the plant of the month for December by the Joy of Plants!
What will you need to make this statement advent wreath with boldly coloured Azaleas?
? a large bowl
? 4+ Azaleas (the more the better!)
? 4 candles
? 1 empty plant pot (you will have one on hand after de-potting your Azaleas)
? soil (& a handful of rubble or pebbles)
Place pebbles, rocks or rubble (whatever you have on hand) at the bottom of your bowl. This will catch all the excess water and your beautiful Azaleas won’t rot from the roots. Add a bit of soil and you can start de-potting. I have used 2 white and 2 bright red plants to give the arrangement a Christmas feel however you can pick whichever colours you love the most – an all white variation would look gorgeous in a Scandinavian interior whereas a combination of reds and pinks would add a pop of colour to a home centred around vintage pieces. Now take one of the leftover planters, add some soil and place in the middle of the arrangement. This will be your candle holder! Nestle 4 candles in and tadaaaaah your masterpiece is complete!
Now all you need to do is set the table & enjoy a plateful of your favourite Sunday dinner.
An expert tip: Your wreath does need to last 4 weeks – for plant care advice visit www.thejoyofplants.co.uk
? This blog post is in collaboration with the Joy of Plants, however this DIY, the azaleas, all the vintage cutlery & that very handsome cat are my own.