By Toney Glover | Regional Extension Agent

Question: What plants would you suggest if I want to make my own holiday wreath?
Answer: Making a Christmas wreath is easy, fun and educational.  Take your pruners and harvest sprigs of greenery from an eastern red cedar or Leyland cypress.  While you are at it, prune all the dead wood out of the Leyland cypress because if yours looks anything like mine I am sure it has a bunch. Look for camellia, magnolia leaves with fruit pods, pine cones, and holly and nandina berries.  Be creative and use what you have available that is not poisonous.
To make a holiday wreath, get a vine wreath that will be the basis for your natural holiday project.  If you have access to some muscadine grape vines, you can harvest your own from the wild or from a vineyard.  Those from the wild are great because they are normally very long which makes for quick work in making your wreath frame.  Make sure you know the wild vines are grape vines because poison ivy and poison oak make vines as well.  They are toxic even without leaves on them.
These grapevine wreaths are a lot easier to work with than you might imagine. Take the bottom third of the foliage off your clippings, then push the foliage-free ends through the wreath until they are secure.  Progress clockwise around the circle creating fullness in the outside and inside edges.  Strive for a full and plump appearance.
Using florist wire, fasten pinecones in clusters of two or three at the 12 o’clock or 6 o’clock position on the wreath.  Another option that looks great is to position them equal distances apart at about three locations on the wreath.
Then add clusters of holly or nandina berries to fill in empty areas and to create a balanced look.  The old-fashioned nandina berries really create a visual holiday impact when cascading downward in the center hole of the wreath.
Acorns can also make a nice addition to a homemade wreath.  The burr oak produces absolutely gigantic acorns that also are perfect for the wreath.  These acorns are so large that people often bring them in for us to identify.
Sweetgum balls, which can be a nuisance in the landscape, also look great sprayed with gold paint.  Try placing these all around the wreath for added effect.
Finish the wreath by adding a decorative bow.  The finished product will be a sign of welcome to your family and friends over the holidays and will have added significance because you made it yourself.  Why not make an extra one to give as a gift because when you start clipping greenery you will quickly get more than you need.
There are many materials perfect for a wreath, and even a beginner can easily complete the project.  Take a walk in the yard and woods and start collecting.  Let your kids or grandkids help with this fun and easy project.
For more information or ideas for more fun-to-make and educational holiday crafts, decorations or projects, contact the Chilton County Office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at (205) 280-6268.