Well what a week it’s been full of wreath idea – and nothing Christmassy in sight. Alice from Lock Cottage Flowers has shown us how to create a January moss wreath, seasonal Valentine’s wreaths, and today she’ll be showing us how to make a table wreath with potted violas and ivy. If you’d like to see all the posts in this feature series then you’ll find them here at Wreaths Throughout The Seasons.

I’ve really loved her use of living plants in her wreaths, and creating living centrepieces is something we’ve previously shared on the blog. I would love to see more weddings using them in creative ways, and as these ideas show they would work beautifully for a woodland inspired wedding or an eco-chic city wedding perhaps.

Over to Alice…

How to make a winter viola and ivy table wreath

This is a terrific wreath designed to lie on the table as a centrepiece using garden centre bedding plants – use something dainty here. I would avoid pansies for example.

Swaddling your viola plants

Use a wire wreath frame and swaddle ivy and British grown viola plants in moss as explained earlier on this post. Push them straight through the bars of the wreath frame and voila—viola!

Finishing touches for your winter viola table wreath

Use more moss to fill in any gaps and put a plate under it to catch any water drips. Water well including moss. Any water that drips to the bottom will be taken up again by the moss. Place a hurricane candleholder in middle, keep it watered and in a bright place to encourage more flowers and enjoy.

Maintaining your living table wreath

The treatment is very similar to a hanging basket. If one side becomes bushier than the other, turn the weaker side to face the light so it can catch up. If a bit of ivy is starting to crawl onto someone’s dinner plate, weave it round the rest of the material to keep it tidy – at some point you will also need to deadhead. This is a centrepiece that will take on a life of its own and could take over the whole house...

The effect should be a smattering of dainty flowers, you don’t want to blow peoples heads off with a ton of flowers in a late winter / early spring design.

When you are finished with this wreath, all bedding plants (violas in this case) can be composted. The ivy and moss can be used in your next brainwave, perhaps a hanging basket or a patio pot with spring bedding?

I hope the wreaths I’ve shared this week for late winter/early spring have given you some ideas. Be sure to check out the hashtag #11monthsofwreaths on Instagram and please share your seasonal, foam-free, British grown wreaths with this tag. I’ll be back later in the year to share some spring wreath inspiration.

For more flowery fun you can follow Alice on her Instagram and Facebook page. Lock Cottage is one of our recommended suppliers on The Natural Wedding Company directory so do go and check out her page and if you’re a bride-to-be add her to your list of favourites by clicking the ‘heart’ icon next to her listing.

Photo of Alice: Emma Davies Photography