Preparing for the Wreath Workshop

It's holiday time and the Master Gardeners have been hard at work preparing for our annual wreath workshop.  December 3 is the day that the Buck Mansion Carriage House in Vacaville will be all a buzz with the people making their own holiday wreath.

Prior to the actual day, a lot of work goes into preparing for this workshop by the Master Gardeners.  In late October and early November a message was sent to all the Master Gardeners, telling them when it’s time to prune any plants in their yards to remember the wreath workshop and to collect any that can be dried to use to decorate the wreaths.  Twice in November, some Master Gardeners met and spray  painted almost  every color on some of the plants that had been collected and dried.  Some of the hydrangeas that looked good were left in their natural state. Other hydrangeas, agapanthus, lavender, agastache, lions tail, sedum, and so much more were sprayed for the participants to add to their wreaths.  There will bows of different colors that can also be added.

Late November it was time to cut the greens. We met at a local spot and with permission from the owner we filled a truck and trailer with redwood boughs, we were very careful and only took what was needed and did the look of the spot.  We did such a good job; you could not tell we had been there.  This trailer of redwood was then taken to a spot in Vacaville, to be soaked overnight and cut the next day to be cut into manageable pieces for the wreath makers to use.  After being cut the pieces were boxed in banana size boxes along with other green that had been gathered and transported to the Buck Mansion.

So December 3rd we were ready for a fun start to the holidays, wreath making with all the bows and decorations you might want.  Oh and of course food as well.

(l-r) Spent garlic chives, sedum, agapanthus sitting atop hydrangea, and dried sunflower in front. (photo by Jennifer Baumbach)

dried flowers sprayed colors

Read more