Opting for a muted colour scheme for my Christmas wreath

Last year my Christmas wreath was full of gold and silver and cinnamon sticks and dried oranges, and it was gorgeous. This year though I thought I’d try something different, though I wasn’t quite sure what that would be, and there wasn’t much point in having too set an idea as I wasn’t sure what would be available on the night.

This year I made my wreath with a small group of other people in a local pub in the next village to us - and a new to me pub too! The workshop at the Rose & Crown in Farndon was led by Emma from the Farndon Flower Farm, so it was great to support two local businesses at once.

This year instead of decanting the wreath into the garage overnight, I left it in the boot of the car. Retrieving it the next morning brought a pleasant surprise as not only was it the first time I’d seen the wreath in daylight, but the car also smelt of the pine and eucalyptus foliage.

My plan wasn’t to hang it on the door immediately though, as Storm Darragh with high winds was forecast for the weekend, so the wreath only made it as far as the gym for safekeeping. I was so glad I did as the weather was atrocious, our garden table and chairs were upended at one point, the table completely flipped over by the wind (while the chairs were still attached to it), so it was a good call.

With hindsight we probably should have moved the garden furniture ahead of the storm too - though when we spotted that it needed attention, thankfully it wasn’t raining so moving the table and chairs, and the cover which had become like a sail was only cold, rather than wet and cold work! Thankfully too the ceramic glass top of the table has been cushioned by landing on the grass, so it appears to have escaped undamaged. Phew. Needless to say, it’s staying in the garage for the time being much to MOH’s chagrin.

But anyway, the white washed walls so lovingly painted last winter by MOH provided the perfect backdrop for a mini photoshoot!

I was keen to have some longer tendrils of foliage on my wreath, and so that’s what I did choosing to leave the more wispy stems longer. I’ve also used a healthy dose of eucalyptus, which means every time we come in or go out we get a noseful of that - it’s glorious.

Decoration wise I added five sprigs of dried hydrangea - these were all from one flowerhead and separated into smaller more manageable sections. With those in place I added some dried bracken which adds a touch of natural gold, and bundles of berries sprayed gold, fluffy grass heads and dried sea holly flowers.

And I’m really pleased with how it turned out, and it looks great hanging on the dark grey door, as I knew it would. Though as I stepped back to admire it, my eyes were drawn to the door just above the handle, and yes, the door had eaten the wreath.

So much so, that this particular tendril had made it inside - some trimming was definitely needed! Now it’s trimmed and looking fantastic, we’re starting to feel like Christmas is definitely on its way!

Post Comment Love 6 - 8 December

Hello there, and welcome back to this week’s #PoCoLo - a relaxed, friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any blog post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked, comment and share some of that love.

Please don’t link up posts which are older as they will be removed from the linky, and if older posts are linked then please don’t feel that it’s necessary to comment on those. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here this week we’re pleased you’ve joined us.

It’s been the start of a busy social period here with my Sewing Group’s Christmas Do at the start of the week, a wreath making workshop and MOH’s cycling group’s get together on Saturday. I’m not complaining, it’s nice to have these and feel part of the community here. We’re getting to the point where we see people we know in town, and sometimes even in the pub too - it’s a peculiar feeling, but it really does make you feel like you belong.

Moving to a new part of the country, without knowing anyone in the immediate vicinity was a slightly mad and possibly brave thing to do, and we know that it would take some time to really settle in, but just lately it feels like we’ve taken a big step forward. Which is good news, as we have no regrets about leaving London and moving here.

My photo this week is the wreath I made at the workshop in the pub in the next village - it’s quite muted for me, but I love it. It spent the night in my car, and has since moved to temporarily hang in the garage as this weekend there’s more bad weather forecast.

Remember I’m now on Bluesky, if you’re also there it’d be great to see you - you can find me at bosworthlife.bsky.social.

Have a great week.

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My garden in November

This month it seems my photos are mainly of the mahonias on misty days and a snowy garden. Snow in November - albeit towards the end of the month - still seems early, but there was still plenty of autumnal colours around the garden, plus pops of colour from the fuchsias, and like last month there was plenty of yellow too!

The mahonias are quickly becoming a favourite plant of mine, although they are prickly! Many a time I’ve been working in the border only to suddenly realise I’m way closer than I thought to its prickly leaves - and it’s not shy in letting me know! I haven’t pruned these yet at all, and having learnt recently that the more you cut holly the pricklier it becomes, I think it’s something I think I’ll need to look up before I do.

The thing about the holly though is interesting. It’s often pricklier at the height where deers nibble (though not in London obviously) as it grows extra spiky as it believes itself to be under attack, which it sort of is, and even on the same bush the leaves much higher up will be much smoother. Isn’t that amazing?

The buddleia in the outside border is still going strong, and has clearly been enjoying the milder temperatures. There’s many silvery new growth buds on its established branches, and seedlings in the gravel. I noticed a little clump much further away than usual in the gravel just yesterday, and weeding the gravel is our new perennial job!

The fuchsia bushes are providing pops of colour, which is especially welcome on the greyer, more dreary days. These dancing ballerina like flowers never fail to raise a smile, so it’s been good to see them in the garden for a lengthy spell. This bush suffered a little with the snow I mentioned earlier, and some remedial ‘knocking the snow off’ action was required.

It wasn’t just the mahonias bringing yellow to the garden, the winter jasmine has also started to flow this month. It’s a bit wild though, as it doesn’t have any support and is growing freeform. My plan is to get some tensioning wire and train it to grow along the inside of the wall, but I’ve still to work out exactly what I need and which is the best to opt for. I think the answer to both of my questions is to get something, try it out and if it does what I want then great, buy some more and if not, try something else!

At the other end of the garden the little crab apple tree is hanging onto its fruits - just. There haven’t been as many fruits as last year, which given that I gave the tree its first prune isn’t surprising, and so I haven’t picked any to use this year. That’s a second year running, but I”m hopeful that next year it will be as prolific as it was the first year we were here and I’ll be able to use them in the kitchen, and hopefully as decorations.

Ah yes, the snow. It was quite a surprise really, despite it being forecast. Mostly because when we went to bed it was raining/sleeting - and the perceived wisdom that it wouldn’t settle. But it did!

It definitely makes everything look pretty, and I particularly enjoyed seeing the sun shine onto the snow and the shadows it cast onto the wall at the back. It’s true too that the second day of the snow is often the best - you’re over the shock of its arrival, the roads are recovering and the sun comes out.

Thankfully the mahonias didn’t mind the sun either!