How to Care for a Fresh Boxwood Wreath

I have always loved the look of a fresh boxwood wreath, but until now I found them to be quite expensive and a little hard to find.  They still aren't as popular as a traditional evergreen wreath. Although, they would honestly be easy enough to make if you have large boxwood bushes in your yard that you don't mind trimming a little for the sake of a fabulous wreath.  

In any case, our boxwoods are still quite small, and can't spare any cuttings just yet.  Not to fear though, Trader Joe's has come through once again!  While we were out this weekend doing a little grocery shopping, I spied the most fabulous fresh boxwood wreaths for sale there for only $9.99! They were big (22 inches) and quite full.  I quickly snapped one up and brought it home.  

And here she is in all her glory!  I made the jaunty bow and affixed it to the wreath, and centered the whole thing over our door knocker (another fine Nashville flea market score from a couple years ago). Somehow, the door knocker peaking out reminds me of the passage from A Christmas Carol when Scrooge sees his late partner Marley in his door knocker the night he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas.  Ooooh, what's not to love!

Now, pretty as it may be, it is a live wreath and therefore, requires a few simple tricks to keep it looking tip top through the Christmas season.  

1.  Any kind of live wreath, boxwood or otherwise, will always do better outside than inside.  The dry heat from inside your house will dry it out faster.  However, if you choose to display your wreath inside, then you may want to set it outside overnight each night to expose it to the cooler and moister outdoor air. 

2.  Live wreaths also last longer if you spritz them with water from time to time.  It doesn't have to be daily, but treat it as you would any other house plant and be sure not to forget about it when it's time to do your other waterings.  

3.  Finally, as your wreath starts to dry out, (they can last up to 2 months or longer with the proper care) lay it flat until it completely dries.  When it is completely dried out, you can spray paint it for future use.  The realist in me says that spraypainting it green would look pretty unnatural, but I am planning to spray ours a soft metallic gold once we are at the end of our season.  It's certainly worth a try, and might just make my $10 investment last even longer!

Here's to a festive and beautiful Christmas season!  Happy decorating!

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