How to Create a Fall Hydrangea Wreath
One of my most favorite flowers are hydrangea. This time of year when they are full and glorious, picking them to dry them for vases and arrangements in my home occurs. It truly is time to take those beautiful blooms to create a fall hydrangea wreath.
So many of my friends began adding them to wreaths instead of arrangements to dry. What a truly wonderful idea, right?
I don’t know about you, but I have lots of wreath forms that need cleaning and repurposing. Perfect timing for a fall project as the hydrangea are beginning to come into full color and season for drying.
What color would I need for a fall hydrangea wreath?
My journey with hydrangea began with a blue hydrangea that was given to me for Mother’s Day. A simple pot from Sam’s Club that people said probably wouldn’t last long. It has flourished. Tucked in a pretty much sunless corner by the screened porch, it provides the most beautiful blooms every year.
In the past few years, Bobo, limelight, pinks and blush hydrangeas have begun lining my landscape and adding a magnificent hue of color, shape and beauty in every direction.
I’m not sure what happened to me this year. I am a red or coral girl when it comes to planting annual flowers. Red cannas, red geranium, salvia and petunias are where I begin to fill in my planters with white and greenery. Perhaps a touch of blue added in always is my go to choice.
This year?
Pink.
Full on pink was everywhere.
Pink crepe myrtle…
Pink geraniums.
An overabundance of pink zinnias.
Pink petunias…
Even the white drift roses had pollinated pink from the red roses nearby…
….and three types of pink hydrangea.
But, this one…stopped me in my tracks. Isn’t it gorgeous???
Even the limelight hydrangea had a pink blush!
That pink in the hydrangea was where I was drawn.
What has happened to me?
Never do I wear pink in clothing…
choose pink to decorate…
even in an accent.
Everywhere in my garden that I looked was overwhelmed with pink.
What did I need for that fall hydrangea wreath?
Hydrangea, of course. From three different hydrangea with varying shades of pink is what I chose.
A wreath form. A grapevine in my stash is perfect for this project.
A set of pruners and you have all you need.
Fall Hydrangea Wreath
Equipment
- 1 pruners
- 1 wire cutters only if needing to attach to wreath
- 1 bucket of water to hold stems while working
- brown paper optional- to cover work area
- floral wire if not using a grapevine wreath to hold stems
Materials
- 1 wreath form- metal, grapevine or straw need wire to hold stems, if not using grapevine wreath
- 12-20 stems hydrangea or enough to cover your form
Instructions
- Cover your work area to protect your work surface. I love to use brown paper for this.
- If repurposing a wreath form, clean and have it ready to go. Grapevine wreaths are great for this project.
- Begin this project in the morning…before sun has hit hydrangeas.
- Use pruners to cut your hydrangea with stems long enough to attach and overlay around your wreath. About 4-6" works best.TIP: Select hydrangeas from your yard that have proven to dry with good results.
- Add stems to a bucket of water to hold until ready to attach to wreath form.
- Remove all leaves from your hydrangea.
- Simply insert into grapevine to hold them. Attach with floral wire if using a different type wreath form.
- Continue laying your blooms, alternating sides and placing blooms in the same direction until you complete the circle on the wreath.
- Attach a loop of wire for a hanger to the top of the wreath, if needed. TIP: My grapevine wreath hung beautifully without it.
- Simply hang and enjoy!
- TIP: To ensure that it lasts, hang in an inside area.
Notes
TIP: Always cut your hydrangea in the morning when they are at their best.
TIP: Choose hydrangea that have dried beautifully in the past. My Bobo hydrangea doesn’t look the prettiest when dried, so I avoided them. The tiny flowers seem to just shrivel and not stay beautiful.
Just a tip…if you are making the wreath later in the day, remove the leaves and add them to a bucket of water until you are ready to create it.
When ready to begin the wreath, remove the leaves from the stems, cut the stems to about 4-6″ where they are just long enough to tuck into the wreath form. The grapevine wreath is the easiest for this project. You may need to add the stems with floral wire if you are using a different wreath form.
Next, add the stems in an alternating pattern…
Continue adding in stems of hydrangea until it’s as full as you’d like it.
It’s now hanging above my mantel…
Joyously welcoming a hint of fall and PINK into the family room.
Isn’t it lovely?
Beautiful and cost saving…
To make it even a more amazing project, having a customized wreath at a huge savings was a win! My cost for this project–zero! What?!!
If I go to my favorite design shop, a wreath simply in faux hydrangea would be over $100. Like everything else…wreath prices have increased, too.
Why not customize your own with hydrangea from your yard?
If you do, won’t you share a photo of yours for me in the comments???
Perfect.
If you don’t have hydrangea growing in your yard…perhaps you are inspired to plant a few.
And now?
Pink has followed me inside…
And I now feel a little more inspired to let fall decorating begin.
The wreath has dried and I’ve tucked in a few more dried blooms in areas that needed more fullness.
Who knew it would begin with pink?
Here’s a few things to help you with this project…at no extra cost to you…just helping you find things and helping the blog at the same time! You’re welcome!
Thank you, Stacy, for inspiring me! You can see her finished wreath here. She’s an amazing gardener that you NEED to follow!
If you are like me, staying inside…and thinking of fall helps me “feel” a bit cooler during these hot days, right?
Happy Fall, yal!
8 Comments
Wendy McMonigle
So pretty Leslie. I have lots of green, now I need to find some burgundy. love it.
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Wendy. My limelights even have a tinge of pink in them this year. Never seen that happen! Loving all the variation.
Martha Wallace
Beautiful!!! You know I love the pinks!!! So glad you reminded everyone to discard the leaves. For one of our engagement parties 46 years ago BW’s aunt made an arrangement of dried hydrangeas! It was beautiful! What a versitle plant!
Leslie J Watkins
I keep gathering and adding to vases…but, the wreath just made me the happiest!
Cindy Walker
BEAUTIFUL!!!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, friend. I am so happy with it! Much better than just having them in containers…
Tracey D. Buchanan
I’m doing this! So pretty and, you’re right, a perfect transition into fall!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Tracey! It’s such a perfect way to capture summer beauty and let them move to fall. I want to keep making them!