A Wreath of Bay Leaves

Loop 3 to 4 strands of heavy-grade florist’s wire into a circle measuring 30-35cm (12-14in) across. Secure the ends of the wire by twisting them around the frame. Then use a short length of thin florist’s wire to secure a 10-15cm (4-6in) sprig of bay leaves to the frame. Place the leaves of the next sprig over the stem of the first and secure in the same way. Continue until the whole frame is covered. Now add shorter sprigs either side of the longer sprigs to widen the wreath, again making sure that the leaves all flow in the same direction. The bay wreath should now be quite dense and form an attractive circle of lustrous leaves. Either leave in this form or fill in the centre of the circle to produce a wide disc-shaped wreath. To do this, thread more wire across the underside of the circular frame to make a network of wire. Next, attach more bay leaves with florist’s wire until the centre of the circle is filled. This version of the wreath looks magnificent but it obviously requires an ample supply of fresh bay leaves. Finally add a wire loop to the circular frame for hanging the wreath.