IWCP Garden Group meeting on Tuesday, 30th November 2021, at Le Thoronet

This was only the third meeting of 2021 thanks to Covid 19 lockdowns in France. Thirteen members walked down the lane to the house and hopefully admired the 80+ red balls on the in-ground Christmas tree by the front gate planted by a previous owner (80 cm high in 2003 and now just over two metres). The special subject was “making a Christmas wreath for the front door” by Gillian Duffy and Sue Spence. The criteria was that all vegetation was to be sourced from the garden or woodland.

Gillian surprised us by making the base for her wreath rather than just buying a ready-made ring. This involved a wire coat hanger with the triangular wire shaped into a circle (the hook is used for hanging the wreath). Then a large sheet of newspaper was loosely scrunched lengthways and attached around the hook first before being wrapped around the wire plus more sheets until the whole ring is covered. Next long strips of bin liner plastic (pre-cut into 10cm wide lengths) were closely bound over the newspaper (tie subsequent lengths together in a knot). Then the vegetation was assembled in small bunches of mixed greenery and fastened with a small elastic band. Florist’s green wire (available in the garden centres by the roll) was wound around the ring, securing each overlapping bunch in place twice. Once the circle is covered in vegetation check that the greenery is evenly distributed and, if necessary, tuck in extra pieces into the wire. Wind the wire around individual items such as fir cones or pyracantha berries for colour and feed into the greenery and wind wire around wreath base. After hanging the wreath on the door, remember to spray it daily to prevent the leaves and fruits drying out. This wreath can, of course, be used on the dining table as a Christmas meal centre piece (but perhaps place on something to protect the table surface) with a tall fat red candle in the centre. And why not make an Easter version with painted hollow eggs glued to the vegetation and a purchased bird(s) wired on to the ring.

Sue’s spray was a loose arrangement, with long branches of coronillia, pyracantha without berries, grey teucrium to add delicacy and light, green oak leaves, cistus and olive branches laid in the shape on a table, building up the layers and ending with pyracantha with red berries. Six fake white hellebore flowers on wire stems were wound around some branches; then , keeping the shape, the branches are gathered up at the top and fastened with wire (make a hanging loop here). A large red tartan ribbon bow with streamers fixes to the wire and small-leaved ivy covers the wire; disguise the bare stalks with short branches of a small leafed bushy plant tucked down into the wire from the top. On to horticultural problems and the appearance of huge earth coloured mushrooms all over the flower beds: it was explained by Saskia that they were due to huge amounts of autumn rain. Best to remove them using a trowel before they become mushy.

Greenery debris was cleared from the table, the cat was banished to the bedroom and tea pots and cups appeared and a nut and date Swedish Christmas cake drizzled with glacee icing, English mince pies and wonderfully moist pecan nut American Brownies were consumed over deafening chatter by members who may not have met for over a year.

Jazz taking a rest after a busy afternoon welcoming 13 IWCP Garden Group members . Having sat on various laps, she then moved to the table, checking Gillian’s wreath and watching Sue assembling hers before being banished to the bedroom for the duration of tea due to her penchant for drinking tea from cups and milk from the jug.