Evening star., 1952-12-14
Novel Decorations From Garden Material
Wreoths, Doorway
And MunteI Pieces
Easy to Construct
By W. n. Younqmon

A discussion OF Christmas deco
rations, after viewing the display
at the Christmas Green's Show
staged last week end by the Ma
tional Capital Garden Club
League, seems a bit out of place.
However. there are many who saw
the excellent show and will wish
to try their hands. Perhaps some
Of the suggestions will help them.
Many interesting and novel
Christmas decorations may be
made from material cleaned from
the garden. Clippings of holly
spruce, yew. hemlock, ivy. false
cypress and a host of other ma
terials, which grow in local gar
dens. may be used in making
attractive wreathS, mantel and
doorway decorations. The cutting
of these materials, If properly
done, does not injure or check the
development Of tree or shrub.
The main consideration is to cut
at q fork so as not to leave stubs.
Stubs do not heal over, but rot
|off.
The clippings should not be less
than 6 inches in length. prefer
ably 8 or 10 inches, although 1t
will often be desirable to cut large
branches and then cut them up
into smaller pieces for working
into a wreath or spray.
Wire for WreathS.
Wreaths are made by fastening
small pieces of greenery and
berries to a wire or wooden hoop,
usually 10 to IL inches in dia-
meter. The wire coat hanger is
often suggested for this purpose,
but it Is slippery and most wreath
makers prefer to take piece of
No. 10 or IL galvanized wire for
the hoop or frame. The fastening
Of the greenery to the hoop may
be done with a stout cord but a
spool of florists wire (smalD is
much easier. A spool holds enough
wire to make many wreaths.
Fasten the wire securely to the
hoop before starting to place the
greenery. Then lay a twig in po-
sition and wrap once or twice,
place another twig and wrap. con-
tinuing all the way around the
hoop. In placing the twig lay as
they are to remain-flat and at
an angle to the wire. In this way
the width Of the wreath is de-
termined and the coverage. For
a very thick wreath the twigs
are very close together. piling one
on top Of another. This can be
easily overdone-wreaths do not
need to be thick or massive to be
attractive.
If berried holly is used the ad-
dition of berries is unnecessary,
but for wreath made from hem
lock. yew. false cypress. or some
other evergreen, berries can be
added to give color. The common
barberry may be used for this pur-
pose or If available the smooth
winterberry "a deciduous holly
or other kinds of berried twigs
may be tucked into the wreath as
it is formed.
Last Longer Outdoors.
Wreaths made as described will
only last few days in the dry
atmosphere of the average home,
but will last for 2 or 3 weeks
out-of-doors. For a long-lasting
wreath for indoors use the twigs
should be INSERTED into moist
sphagum moss. To make such a
wreath obtain a special frame
from a florist which has a channel
for holding the moss or tie the
moss to the plain wire hoop. In
either case the moss is covered
with foil through which each
twig is pushed before wiring into
place. However. this is seldom
considered necessary since the in
door wreaths are only used for a
few days.
Sprays are made by fastening
larger clippings to a background
or base which may be made from
a light piece Of wood; wire shaped
to fit the design, or to a large
branch. Smaller pieces are then
wired into place. adding berries,
ribbon or other accent materials
to complete the design. Sprays are
usually built up in the center more
than a wreath. depending upon
how they are to be used. A spray
for mantle or table decoration
needs some height, while the spray
hanging on the front door does
not need as much.
Design Before Starting.
Sprays to be effective should
have a design or plan before start
ing The nIariy,o of oocb %,,,;n,