A floral Noël

FOR SOME ATTRACTIVE DYI YULETIDE DECORATIONS, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN YOUR OWN GARDEN

- Chloe Thomson

Let your garden and plants inspire the Christmas decorations that adorn your home this festive season! Here are three simple and fun DIY decorations to try.

If you do give these a go, I’d love to see what you make. Please tag me on Instagram @beantheredugthat if you’d like to share your creations.

BRAIDED GRASS WREATH Such a simple and easy project and for next to nothing you can make wreaths of various sizes. Tiny ones make sweet tree ornaments, medium sized ones look lovely as table decorations or larger ones can even be used as door wreaths.

You will need:

• A flexible grass. I’ve used Poa labillardieri because I like the grass seed heads at this time of the year

• Sharp scissors or secateurs

• String and ribbon

• A clamp or large alligator clip (optional)

• Christmas decorations and a hot glue gun or flexible wire (optional)

1. Cut long lengths of your chosen grass — I’ve found bundles with a girth no bigger than a 20-cent coin when held together are the easiest to plait.

2. Hold down the cut end of the grasses with a clamp or ask a friend to hold them tightly, separate the clump into three strands and begin a three-strand plait. Continue all the way down the grass until you have about 15–30cm of ends unplaited. Use string to tie off the plait and loop it around so the cut ends meet the end of your plait. Tie again to form a wreath shape.