20th November 2025 • The HERALD • Page 65 v INDEPENDENT, LOCAL AND PROUD v RYAN FENCING Quality Fencing & Gates 07769 706516 • 023 8084 1203 www.ryan-fencing.co.uk • Find us on Facebook A J GLEESON BUILDING & GROUNDWORK DRIVEWAYS EXTENSIONS BRICKWORK GROUNDWORK BLOCK PAVING Colours & Designs to suit your requirements Local Work Available to View CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION New Forest & Southampton 023 8084 4180 Mobile: 07770 771475 Bramdene, Main Road, Dibden, Southampton Locally owned landscape and maintenance company who offer excellent workmanship, value, and customer service. Contact Ralph on 07775 726135 www.apex-landscaping.co.uk • rperry16@sky.com • Decking • Fencing and Gates • Complete Landscaping • Paving • Brick Work • Block Paving and Driveways • Hedge and Tree Work •Turfing • Shed and Summerhouse Bases • Shingle Beds and Artificial Lawns • Paving and Block Paving Cleaning and Repair DOWN THE GARDEN PATH Send your news to The Herald by email: editor@herald-publishing.co.uk Do It Yourself Christmas Wreath by Debbie Thorne, Foresters Flower Club Foresters Flower Club is between meetings, however now is the perfect time to make a Christmas wreath for your front door or porch. Decide the approximate size you would like the wreath. en purchase a birch, willow, wire or oral foam wreath that size. Warning: this might be messy! Being Christmas, we can justify a oral foam wreath, also ideal for beginners. e whole unit needs to be soaked in water for about 10 minutes. Using a oral foam wreath can allow fresh owers and di erent fresh foliage to be added. Evergreen foliage can survive over winter for weeks/ months. Maybe needing occasional mist with water if in a sunny position. A variety of evergreen foliage is the only foliage that can be used in the other wreaths; apart from dried, or arti cial. Don’t forget Christmassy bits to make the wreath special to you e.g. r cones, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, ribbons, glittery bits etc. You will need: Ribbon/twine (to hang). Floristry wire - a reel and lengths of medium gauge. Foliage (I go collecting evergreen foliage a er storms in November, lots blown down)-di erent shades/shapes/ lengths. Contrasting bits to add interest e.g. holly berries, snowberries (arti cial are best), dehydrated orange/ lime slices, cinnamon sticks, r cones, etc. Method: Tie the ribbon/twine rmly around the wreath ready to hang. is becomes the top of your wreath. If using oral foam, wire isn’t needed when stems are long enough to insert. If non-foam wreaths are used, a short length of orist wire should be attached to all the items you wish to add. Make up bunches of greenery, fruit and decorations, using wire lengths. Leave enough wire to attach decorative bits onto the green wreath. Fir cones need wire wrapped around the widest end, with enough to attach to the wreath base. Firstly, start at the ribbon top, in a clockwise direction bind the bunches of foliage onto the wreath with the reel of wire. Make sure that inside, outside and the front of the wreath are covered, surprisingly a large amount of foliage is needed. en add the fun stu . Push the wires through the greenery, then twist them together and tuck them in securely. Again, remembering to cover all aspects of the wreath starting at the top and working in a clockwise direction. When nished, check by hanging up where you will hang it and approach from all angles checking for gaps. A wreath could also be made into a table decoration and table decoration competition, no meetings in Januray, 5th February - e ree Musketeers: in house demonstration. Meetings take place at Copythorne Parish Hall, Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne SO40 2NZ, 7.30pm. Visitors welcome. For more information contact Debbie orne: 07769 830752. by lying at on a waterproof surface and placing an arti cial candle in the centre. If using a real candle, foliage should be below the lower third of the candle, or it becomes a re risk. Enjoy the run-up to Christmas! Next meetings: 4th December - Club Christmas Party Christmas wreath
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTIyNzI=