Make a fragrant thyme wreath

This month, author Emma Hardy shows us how to make a scented wreath

A sumptuously scented display of summer herbs and flowers

This seasonal wreath is deceptively easy to make and creates a pretty feature for a party. Welcome guests with the heady scent of fresh herbs and flowers.

YOU WILL NEED

Sheet moss Wire wreath base, Dia40cm Potting mix Fine copper wire Selection of lobularia and thyme plants hook, for hanging

Galvanized wire, 1mm diameter

Cover the wreath with moss 1

Soak the root balls of all the plants in water for 10min. Lay pieces of moss on a table in a circular shape, with the green mossy side facing down. Place the wreath base on top of the moss and add more moss to cover both sides of the base.

2

add the soil Water the potting mix so it’s moist, but not soaking. Put handfuls of potting mix on top of the wreath, working your way around.

3

Bind with Copper wire Push the end of the roll of copper wire under the wreath and twist it around itself a few times to keep it firmly in place. Wrap lengths of copper wire around the wreath, folding the moss over as you do so, to cover the base. Keep wrapping until the whole wreath is bound with moss.

4

insert the plants Remove a plant from its pot and make it smaller by pulling away some of the potting mix from the root ball. Make a small hole in the moss on the wreath and push the roots of the plant inside. Thyme is pretty tough, so don’t worry too much about damaging the roots. Add more plants until the whole wreath is covered. As the plants grow, they will fill in any gaps.

5

water and hang up Water the wreath and don’t allow it to dry out. Hang from the hook with galvanised wire.

Pick fresh thyme leaves for cooking!

‘ensure you buy enough plants to cover the wreath base — to make this wreath i used eight thyme plants and eight lobularias in a mix of colours.’