Today I tried to make that living wreath following the instructions on their website.  Well, let me tell you what... what a pain in the neck!  If the plants live through the stress, I'm not sure if the gardener will.  The first attempt I tried I didn't realize it was a failure until I got to nearly the end.  It was the point where I was supposed to put the second metal frame on and squeeze all the beautiful flowers through the wires without killing the flowers or breaking them that I realized that it just wasn't going to work.   About then, I decided to reconstruct things a bit differently and work smarter not harder.   I have a double front door, so I needed to make 2 of these.  I took some photos all along the way so I could show you how it looks when an amateur does it.  Just the same, I'll leave mine in the back for a few days and see if the plants die before I hang them on the front door.  I'm not as confident in my abilities as I used to be.

Let's start with your supply list. 

• 2 wire wreath frames or 1 wreath frame cage per wreath
• sheet moss (lots)
• soil with time release fertilizer mixed in
• flowers for wreath (consider location wreath will be in)
• plant wire (lots)

(Note: the completed wreath shown is the failure) 

Step 1

Take the sheet moss and line the wreath form with the prettier, green side facing out.  Be sure to leave no holes that the soil can escape through.  Take the time to be choosy about your sheet moss used.

Line wreath with sheet moss

Step 2

Place the soil and fertilizer you mixed together in the center of the moss in the wreath frame being careful not to put so much that it will leak out make a big mess.  Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and wasted a lot of time on clean up.  

Add soil with fertilizer to wreath

Step 3

Add the top cover of sheet moss with the pretty side up.  Be sure to completely cover AND contain the soil.  You may want to roll up the sides of the moss a bit to ensure the soil does not come out and then add the wire wreath cage cover (if it's that type you are using) or put a second wire wreath frame on top of the moss and fasten with floral wire.

Step 4

Poke holes for your flowers and "plant" them into your moss wreath.  Pack sheet moss around the newly planted flowers to ensure the plants and soil stay in place.  Use floral picks to gently direct flowers to grow in the direction wanted and stay in place.  Spray with a gentle hose or spray bottle filled with water that is uncontaminated.

Finish wreath with  Verbena, Petunia, & Torenia

Living Wreath
I found this cool little project I wanted to try.  Planting a living wreath.  I finally got my act together and ordered the supplies this past weekend from Save-On-Crafts.  The instructions for the wreath are from English Gardens.   I picked up the sheet moss and the wire wreath frames.  While the wreath frames aren't exactly what the instructions called for, they were pretty close.  I expect this weekend to put it all together.  Save-On was the least expensive for these material and I spent hours looking for this stuff and checking for the lowest prices. I'm not sure if I'll use the pansies or not, because these will be on the southern exposure in Florida and virtually no shade.  I also want to snatch up some of the seeds from that gorgeous purple azalea I showed you under the lugustrum a few days back.
If you are handy at all or have a handy housemate, I have another little project for you.  Take a gander at this beauty. 

 It seems pretty easy to build on your own, as long as you remember that you need to have a resting spot for each plant so the soil does not wash away.  I'd say slip a half tube (like a gully or ditch) into each hole and then make sure to affix it in place with caulk.  Then, you can put the small plant into the opening so it will grow out of the opening.  If you want the easy way out, you can always purchase it.  Check out Green Head for details.