Succulent Wreaths workshop
| This workshop was held during April 2001 by Phillip Allen. Phillip is an alumnus of the New York Botanical Garden School of Horticulture and was for several years a principal in a small garden design practice serving residential and corporate clients in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Westchester County and New York City. Since medical disabilities forced his retirement in the mid-'90's, he has focused his horticultural interests in the propagation of succulent plants from seed. This workshop provided hands-on experience with an inexpensive technique for making a living wreath with succulent plants. While the technique can be used with any appropriate plant material, these wreaths used hardy plants. | |
Materials and tools:
 | Chicken wire (1" mesh) cut to 24"x8" for a 10-12" wreath; 20"x8" for an 8" wreath |
| Sphagnum moss |
| Potting soil |
| Water |
| Chopstick or equivalent |
| Wire shears (optional) |
| Assorted succulents. Suitable genera include Sempervivum, Sedum, Jovibarba, Orostachys and Delosperma, and can be cuttings, offsets, or smaller potted plants. |
 1. Soak and wring out enough sphagnum moss to cover the chicken wire laid out flat on a table |
 2. Spread potting soil along center of moss about 1/2-inch thick, covering about 1/3 of the moss |
 3. Roll so sides meet, and hook the sides together by bending the wire ends along the edges |
 4. Turn over so newly hooked side is face down. Compress the roll to pack the stuffing and bury the loose wire ends. |
 5. Starting by bending the roll in the middle, shape the roll into a ring and close by bending wire or attaching florist's wire to close ring. |
 6. If desired, use florist's wire to add a loop for hanging the wreath |
 7. Use a chopstick to make a hole for inserting the plants. For larger plants, use a wire cutter to make a larger hole |
 8. Tuck plants or divisions of plants firmly into holes as you like. Be sure to get the root or part you want to root into the soil inside the wreath. Chopsticks are useful tools for this step, too |
 9. Admire your work! |
Final tips:
| Don't pack wreath too full of plants as it will soon need thinning out! |
| Hang your wreath in a sunny location and keep moss damp |
| In winter, keep in greenhouse or cold frame, or outside with other sedums and hardy succulents |
Pictures on this page taken by Lois Berkowitz
