Christmas Wreath Workshop with Rachel de Thame and Arit Anderson

/ karen
Everyone busy at a table set out in Rachel de Thame’s hall.

Some opportunities are too good to be missed! I’d been watching announcements for weeks, but couldn’t attend any of the dates offered. Then all of a sudden two people dropped out on the one day I was free. So this week I unexpectedly found myself driving to Gloucestershire to take part in one of Rachel de Thame’s first Christmas wreath-making courses. I can still hardly believe my luck!

I wish I’d taken a photograph of the path leading to the front door. It was lined each side with piles of evergreen foliage ready for the course. Mindful of the fact that this was Rachel’s home, I didn’t get my camera out. But it was obvious from the first glance that we were all in for a treat of a day! Stepping inside the front door, Rachel’s entrance hall was set out with a long table and buckets of flowers and foliage in all four corners. There was such an array of different foliage materials, much of it pruned from Rachel’s garden. I fell in love with the pink hydrangea heads and orange rosehips straight away. I also decided on using the skimmia kew green as a background for my wreath.

Rachel first demonstrated how to make a wreath using a copper ring and moss attached with reel wire. Rachel was using wire she’d saved from previous years and recycled. The base of the wreath was entirely conifer sprays trimmed to about 5” and attached first to the left and then the right all the way round the circle. Flowers, berries, and seed heads could then be attached on top. Arit Anderson who was guest host for the day, demonstrated making a wreath using the same copper ring, but with moss attached with twine. Arit’s wreath was a looser design using twigs, seed heads, grey pussy willow and grasses. Arit explained the wreath could be safely composed after Christmas, as all the components would eventually compost down. The copper rings could be saved for another year. Even the ribbon we used was biodegradable.

Rachel’s wreath, showing the fir sprays being attached to the mossy base.
Arit with the mossy base attached with compostable twine.
Arit displaying one of the wreaths in the window.
Rachel and Arit with fir cones, dried hydrangea heads and foraged grass and poppy seed heads.

Before getting started on our own wreaths, Rachel demonstrated how to make an arrangement for a fireplace. I must admit, I wanted to take both the arrangement and the fireplace home!

Surprisingly, that huge arrangement all started with a relatively small glass bowl. Rachel rolled up some chicken wire and used florist tape to attach it to the bowl. She added long lengths of ivy, Portuguese laurel and pittosporum. Then colour was added with spray chrysanthemums and grey pussy willow. I have walked past endless amounts to trailing ivy in my garden and never realised it could be turned into anything as beautiful as this. But now, I’ll have a go!

Our day included a three course lunch. We had home-made soup, followed by a buffet of amazing salads, followed by chocolate brownies and cream. Plenty of tea was also consumed! The table in Rachel’s kitchen was set out with such style. I really enjoyed every second I was there! Everything was literally perfect.

Beautiful flowers set out on the table

Best of all though, I had the company of the famous Woodapuss sitting next to me. I’d seen her many times on the television. I can report that she is as lovely in real life as on the TV. Such a calm and happy cat, very affectionate. I was quite happy to sit there making a fuss of her. A highlight of my day.

After lunch we wandered around Rachel’s garden foraging for materials to use for our wreaths. It was such a treat to see the walled garden where Rachel grows her tulips and cut flowers. The walls are such a gorgeous soft, creamy colour, and we found holes were solitary bees had made nests.

Back to the house, and we all made a start on our wreaths. I decided to go for a base of eucalyptus and rosemary, for the scent. Then I wove rosehips in to the mix, and finished with two hydrangea heads. Arit showed me how to gather the hydrangea heads into a ball if they were too spread out, and tie them at the base. This made a much better focal point. We then chose a gorgeous burgundy ribbon to finish off.

And here it is! Displayed on Rachel’s front door which is painted a deep glossy green.

What a great day we all had! I learned many new techniques in floristry, made some new like-minded friends, fussed Rachel’s cat, and went home with a beautiful wreath for my own front door. A really wonderful, perfect day.

Thank you Rachel and Arit for such a happy and memorable event! A truly special start to our Christmas festivities.

Thanks for reading my blog. Rachel has plans for lots more courses and events at Broadwell Manor in 2025. To find out more contact info@broadwellmanor.com. Or follow on Instagram @racheldethame.

30 thoughts on “Christmas Wreath Workshop with Rachel de Thame and Arit Anderson”

  1. Wow, what a treat for you, Karen. Everything about the day (perhaps not so much the drive there and back though?!) sounded such a wonderful experience and you have clearly learned a lot. A real treat to have such a wealth of materials available and to look round Rachel’s garden too – not to mention the lunch!!

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    • It was like a dream Cathy. I could hardly believe my luck. Literally the last free day of the year for me and no family caring duties. It was a long way to travel, but so worth it. Rachel and Arit ( who I’ve known for at least 15 years) are as lovely in real life as on the TV. What you see is what you get. I was like a child in a sweetshop with all that foliage and the flowers were lovely too. I learned a lot about sustainable arrangements and even managed to make a grave planter out of woven clematis stems, Ivy and kokedama-mossed primroses. It looked lovely and it’s good to know that when it gets taken down by the cemetery volunteers, everything will be compostable. Happy New Year Cathy.

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    • Thank you very much. I must admit, it was such a lovely treat after what has been a most challenging year. Such a lovely way to end 2024. I hope 2025 will be better for all of us. Happy New Year, and thank you again. Karen xx

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  6. Karen, thank you so much for sharing this fabulous day you spent with Rachel and Arit. I love everything: the Christmas wreaths, the arrangement of the fireplace, the table decoration and meeting Woodapuss, a lovely cat. I love your wreath as well as the materials you used: the hydrangea heads look divine. I am so glad you had a wonderful day shared with like-minded people: I wish you many more days like this one. Karen, I have written you an email to two addresses I have had for a few days now. If you have not received it and it is not too much to ask, could you please send me your email address to my email margaritaecologica@outlook.com so I can send it to you. Thank you very much in advance Karen. I take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas full of love, peace, joy, wishes that come true and all the love of your family. I wish you the best. Warmest regards from Margarita xxx

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    • Oh thank you so much Margarita. It really was the best day ever. I’m taking the wreath to my mother’s front door today. It’s been on the summerhouse since I made it. Much love to you and your family and thank you for your lovely, kind comments. Happy Christmas from us all xxx ( replying to e mails today ) xx

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  7. Brilliant, inspiring report Karen. Many thanks! You’ve inspired me to finish my spray part foraged from the Nottingham Hardy Plant Society and get it up on its waiting hook. I will keep an eye out for her next course and perhaps see you there.

    Loved the affectionate cat. A special extra to lift the spirits even further.

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    • Thank you! I bet that spray looks wonderful. Yes, I’m definitely going along to the other courses, if I’m well enough and family caring duties allow. It was a very special treat as you can imagine. A great way to start the Christmas festivities. And you know how much I love cats! I think Woodapuss knew! As she made a beeline for me and purred very loudly. Christmas spirits well and truly lifted!

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  9. What a lovely way to spend a day near to Christmas and in such lovely surroundings.I love making my Christmas wreath, it gives me such a great sense of achievement and is always much admired.

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  10. What a wonderful experience Karen! Sounds like a perfect day for my mother and myself in the future. We have been making evegreen wreaths every year but took a break this year. Now reading your blog, I feel we have got to catch up. Its a perfect way to get into a Christmas spirit. Your wreath looks beautiful, thank you for sharing your lovely adventures and special moments. Its mega inspirational, my mother and I love reading your posts!

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    • Thank you very much Natalia! I must admit, you and your mother would love the courses! They are a must. Do keep an eye on the website as Rachel will announce her plans soon. I will definitely book the next events as I thoroughly enjoyed my day out at Rachel’s beautiful home. Rachel is a kind and patient teacher and I felt completely at ease and able to ask questions without feeling foolish! Have a wonderful Christmas and best wishes to your mum. Xx

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