The Wreathmaker

Plus wreathmaking instructions and holiday events

Author

Ken Welch
December 18, 2025

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The Wreathmaker

Walking through the doors of the shop in Louisville was like entering a portal to a fresh, and chilly world. The flower shop was spacious, with concrete floors, tall work tables, and large glass windows for walls. You could see boughs of fir trees, a wall of ribbons, and two older men making floral arrangements. “I’m looking for a job.” I blurted out, sounding unsure of myself at 19. “Well, darling, are you a florist?” The shop owner asked in the slight drawl of a Kentucky accent. “Yes…” I lied with as much confidence as I could feign. The shopkeeper removed the glasses from his face letting them rest on his chest, held around his neck by a chord. He eyed me suspiciously. “It’s Perfect!” Interrupted the other man from across the shop. The older man was a bit of a bear, and had stepped back to admire his arrangement. It was a bent stem of a moth orchid arching gracefully over a bed of white Chrysanthemums. The cluster of orchids almost resembled a fist. “I call it Janis Joplin reaching for the mashed potatoes." 

We all laughed about the title of the new arrangement and the owner, Oliver, asked me to come back on Monday to help them make wreaths for the upcoming Christmas rush. “Oh, and I can’t wait to see what you can do,” he said in his sass-laden drawl. I left the shop with a spring in my step, but did not go home. There were only a few days left to learn to become a florist, so I went straight to the library to frantically check out all the books of floristry. Saying I was a florist was more of a white lie than a capital offense. My first job was in a flower shop in high school, where I mostly prepped flowers by removing thorns from roses. It was seasonal work for Valentine’s Day, Homecoming, and Prom. In other words, the scariest events for a kid who was in the closet. I’d much prefer to prick my finger on thorns than have to buy a bouquet and attend the events.

Prepping flowers as a teenager hardly qualified me as a florist, so when I showed up on Monday I tried to do my best to keep up. I spent that Winter hauling boxes of Fir, Spruce, and Pine and pretending I knew what I was doing. No doubt Oliver and Chris, the Janis Joplin fan, sensed that I had no idea what I was doing the moment I struggled to use the floral tape, but they let it slide. It was the first time I’d really seen an example of older gay men living their life, getting paid for their exquisite taste, and doing impeccable impressions of the more difficult customers. Everyday, I bathed in the fresh scent of Balsam Fir, and learned how to make a mean wreath in that flower shop. Below are Oliver’s instructions for making a floral wreath, in case you ever need to pretend to be a florist.

You can make a wreath just like this by following the instructions below. How I enjoyed the scent of Fir again while making this for the article.

What you need

  • Wire wreath frame (12–16")

  • Paddle wire (22–24 gauge)

  • Pruners

  • Wire Cutter - Best not to mar your pruners

  • Greens: Fir, Spruce, Pine, Cedar

  • Gloves

Visual learner? You can watch the instructions in this YouTube video I made. (It’s rough, but it does the job!)

Step 1: Get your greens

Start at Christmas tree lots and ask for branch trimmings from the bottoms of trees. Bat your eyes and try to get a discount.
Check nurseries and garden centers; most sell mixed bundles in December.
Ask your rich aunt if you can prune her evergreen trees. If you don’t have a rich aunt, then go back to the Christmas tree lot.

Aim for a mix of textures: dense (Fir, Spruce) + airy (Pine, Cedar), but work with what you’ve got.

Step 2: Prep everything

Cut all greens into 6–8" pieces. Enough for “a good time” according to Oliver, whatever that meant.
Make a giant pile, because everyone underestimates how much they need.
Tie your paddle wire to the frame with 3–4 tight wraps. Don’t cut it.

Step 3: Make the first bundle

Grab 3–5 stems.
Fan them into a small, full cluster.
Lay the bundle across the frame and wrap the wire around it 2–3 times, pulling hard so it locks down.

Step 4: Work your way around

Move a few inches ahead.
Build the next bundle and overlap it over the previous stems to hide the ugly parts.
Wrap 2–3 times. Take a hearty swig of hot buttered rum.
Repeat this all the way around, keeping bundles angled in the same direction. 

Step 5: Close the circle

At the end, lift the first bundle slightly and tuck the final bundle underneath it.
Wrap tightly.
Flip the wreath and loop the wire around the frame a few times, then crimp the end inward with your wire cutters.

Step 6: Add any decorations

Add pinecones, an extravagant ribbon, or whatever strikes your fancy.

Field Notes:

  1. For the wreath I made, I used Frasier Fir, Norway Pine, and Incense Cedar. I added a few to each bundle for variety. Purchased 3 bundles of greens from Jung’s Nursery in Madison.

Plotter’s Commons:

How do you feel about the community board section? Should I put something here besides the events? Wondering if this section is useful to you. Reply to this email if you have suggestions! Would love to include more photos and input from you all there 🙂 

Community Board

Events this weekend:

I’ll be attending a writer’s workshop at Olbrich Gardens in Madison on the 20th.

Written for 230 evergreen crafters. 💌
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Until next Thursday,
Ken Welch

About the Author

Ken Welch is a horticulturist by training and research professional in Madison, Wisconsin. He’s drawn to native ecosystems, community gardens, and helping others grow confidence in their craft.

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