Leucadendron |

Last year I had a living wreath with succulents and this year I was keen to keep that tradition going. Only, because I have a black gardening thumb of death, the cacti didn’t make it. Yes, I killed plants that are renowned for their capacity to survive with no care. Quite the feat.

So this year I used the same (bought) wreath form – made of chicken wire – and decided to try my hand at some flower arranging. I wanted flowers that were relatively hardy so I didn’t have to replace them every two days. Accordingly, I went for Australian natives. A hardier bunch of flora there hardly is.

Stunning proteas with petals as soft as lamb’s ears are in abundance at the moment. At the flower shop that is. Not sure about in nature. Presume (and hope) one is dictating to the other.

Below that are stems of some type of Leucadendron and the flowery sprays are Geraldton Wax flowers. I know all of this because I asked my mother. She’s a font of floral knowledge. And she despairs at my capacity to kill most everything in my garden given enough time.

I had the first wreath made in early November and after a straw poll of family did finally accept that it was just a tad too early to hang it on the front door.

But rest assured I kept an eagle eye out for any signs of early Christmas decorating in our street and the minute I saw our neighbour fiddling with something that looked like lights on his roof I had that wreath on the door faster than he could say “but these aren’t even Christmas lights”.

So I secretly celebrated Christmas with the first wreath indoors for about 3 weeks and it lasted pretty well.

This is the mark two.

I couldn’t get exactly the same flowers and colours as before but I like the changing nature of each one.

Mark 3 is on the door as we speak and is similar to the first.

I’m wondering if I might branch out (HAHAHAHAHHA I KILL me) next week and try something totally different. Sweet peas and peonies? They’ll only last two days…but what a beautiful two days they would be.

More Christmas posts coming up very soon. And my GOODNESS, there’s been some festive decoration shenanigans going on over here. You might think, given this wreath, we’re going with an Australian bush Christmas this year.