In Australia, the tradition of Christmas wreaths is evolving. Many are now opting for wreaths made from native flowers and plants, moving away from the classic European designs. Candice Burger, a flower farmer from Bowral in New South Wales, highlights this trend. "We've moved a long way from the traditional European wreath, with holly and berries and pine," she said. "We're really slowly crossing a new frontier with Australian native wreaths taking shape here." Burger explains that native plants can complement other garden flowers in wreath-making. For example, she suggests combining dried hydrangeas with yellow billy button flowers and green foliage. "Billy buttons grow beautifully in Australia, they're native and add pops of colour. The stems are quite rigid so threading them one at a time is easier," she noted. She also recommends adding banksia, which features red blooms perfect for the holiday season. **Creating a Wreath** The base of a wreath is typically a circular shape made from twisted or plaited wood, which can be sourced from branches or vines found at home. Burger advises using ornamental grapevines or wisteria for the base. To shape the wreath, she suggests using jute or copper wire. "Find a dry place to hang it," she added. Making a wreath requires minimal tools, including secateurs, wire, jute, a wreath base, floral materials, and ribbon. "Use sharp secateurs for cutting stems, leaves, and wire, and have both thick and thin wire on hand to hold items in place," Burger said. She also mentioned that using twine makes the wreath compostable. **Tips for Wreath-Making** Burger encourages creativity in wreath-making. "Prepare to make a big mess that you can clean up later, and just have fun and go crazy with it," she said. She recommends stripping leaves and securing flowers in groups, cutting wire lengths long enough to twist tightly at the back of the wreath. Wreaths can become heavy, so it’s important to prepare ample wire or twine for securing the materials. Mixing dry and fresh ingredients is also a good idea. Burger suggests using fresh banksias, leaves, branches, pine cones, rosemary, and lavender. "To add textured coloured elements, mix the ingredients with dry and fresh produce, which will dry on the wreath," she explained. **Layering Ingredients** According to Burger, there are no strict rules when constructing a wreath. "Let ingredients flop outside the circle, create texture by overlapping your ingredients, fill gaps, and during construction hold the wreath any which way; it's a work in progress, so don't be shy," she said. She recommends working with one ingredient at a time and layering them. Hard petals, like paper daisies, work well, and interesting seed pods from flowering shrubs and trees can also be included. "If you've got a fruiting tree like an ornamental cherry, that's fun to do, so is dehydrating fruit," she added. **Finishing Touches** When it comes to finishing the wreath, Burger suggests waiting until the end to tidy up the back, add bows and ribbons, and test its placement. "Use beautiful vintage ribbon, wind that in, and make it your own personality," she said. She advises winding stems into place so they are not sticking out and twisting the wire to secure them. "Don't secure strands and cut until you know you've finished," she cautioned. Alternatively, she noted that you can keep the wire intact while maintaining tension. Once completed, hang the wreath and step back to assess it. "There's so many things you can find in your garden; you can prep all year for it, or you can go out that day and harvest from your garden. You'll be surprised by how beautiful you can make a wreath," Burger concluded.