For a patriotic wreath, choose
flowers in red, white, and blue.

Lasting Beauty

You've probably hung some kind of wreath on your door at one time or another. Unlike seasonal wreaths that come and go, living wreaths make lasting impressions. In fact, they can live for months or even years, depending on your climate. And you can make them yourself.

Create a living wreath with groupings of live plantings placed in a bed of soil and moss that's molded around a concave wreath form. When selecting plants for a living wreath, pick ones that do well in the shade. Because they hold their shapes, plants that thrive in pots work particularly well.

Annuals provide quick summer color, but you can use perennials or a mix of both. You might also experiment with draping plants, vines, or ground covers.

In choosing colors, consider your preferences and the color of the surface the wreath will hang on. Use texture from foliage to play up the colors.