My vase this Monday morphed into a holiday wreath for my front door. I have wanted to try making a wreath from Bromeliad pups for a while and this year there were enough in my garden to give it a try. Of course, I had no clue how to actually make a wreath from Bromeliad pups and the dilemma haunted me for a while. The Bromeliad pups are from my collection of garage sale finds. The red ones at each end are Fireball Neoregelia, the bigger ones in the middle are Super Fireball Neoregelia, darker green and red varigated Angel Face Neoregelia and I have never managed to figure out the name of the spotted ones.
I started the wreath with a piece of irrigation tubing made into a ring with irrigation connectors. A perfect blank black circle. Then, tried to add the Bromeliad pups. Pups are a bit fat and uneven to be wired to irrigation tubing. Floral wire doesn’t work and tape doesn’t either. Undeterred by my pup attachment failure, I got my trusty gardening serrate kitchen knife with the wooden handle (it goes through the dishwasher) and bored some oddly unsymmetric holes in the irrigation tubing – it worked perfectly to hold the pups in place with the added benefit of holding water at the bottom of the wreath.
After installing 10 or 12 pups, I realized the wreath would be too big for the door if I covered the entire ring with pups..oops. So, as these things go, Plan B appeared. Wrap the rest of the wreath with Bromeliad foliage and add some Spanish Moss accents. I love Spanish Moss and it appears rarely in my garden, too windy here, I think. No Spanish Moss to be found in the garden – decided to wrap and make do with dried moss on hand from God knows where.
About this time, my husband appeared, needing a hand with one of his projects… I gave a hand with his work and then hit him up for some double stick tape for the wrapped part of the wreath. As luck would have it – his double stick tape worked great til it ran out – not quite covering the irrigation tubing. Trusty serrate kitchen knife reappeared, a few more holes bored – voila, a wreath. Almost covered and needing a bit of oddly sourced Spanish Moss.
My first Bromeliad pup wreath makes its holiday debut. I am dreading finding a huge sproing in the morning.
Monday morning update – no huge sproing, but I did step on a bit of Spanish Moss when walking outside.
Happy Gardening and Happy Holidays to all. Thank you to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting. Follow the link to see more (usually) vases..
The Shrub Queen 
A most unusual and very creative idea, well done 👏 I know them as house plants but I’d never have thought of making a wreath.
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Thank you, my garden is full of houseplants
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It’s wonderful! Well done for persevering… sounds like a lot of patience was needed, but the result was definitely worth it! I especially like the Bromeliad foliage which wasn’t in your original plan. 😃
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Thank you, Cathy, hoping it lasts in the heat
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That is so creative. I especially like using the plant material to wrap the hose.
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Thanks, just finished getting rid of the thorns in my fingers, Bromeliads are sharp..
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Very clever, loved that you shared the step-by-step, determination wins the day! Beautiful!
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Thanks Eliza wreath conquered ..
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And I loved reading your post as you talked through the process of making your unusual wreath – what a great result, improvising with the material to hand. I have never heard the word ‘sproing’ but guessed what it might mean and looked it up just to make sure….😉
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Well, Bromeliad wreaths are not that unusual here as we are lacking hollies and evergreens! I was actually thinking a slinky would look great with the broms! Lots of sproing.
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Yes, I take the point, it’s just like using the abundant holly and ivy. I have the perfect teeny tiny slink which has beenroped into service as a prop before now – but I don’t suppose that surprises you!
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Well done, Amelia! I’m impressed that you didn’t allow yourself to be daunted by the difficulties encountered along the way. Now I’m feeling like a lazy gardener as I haven’t tried making a wreath from scratch.
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Thank you, Kris. I find wreath making a difficult task..decided to do something different this year. Happy Holidays.
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Those are not epiphytic species, are they? Do they eventually get potted or put into the ground?
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These will grow in trees and the ground.
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So, technically epiphytic, like cymbidiums.
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Love this!
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And that last photo is a gem!
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Thank you, enjoying the winter here…
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