wild for life

spooktacular decorations

Transform your home into a ghostly haunted mansion with these simple and spooky wreath and table centre ideas.

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halloween wreath

Wreaths are not just for Christmas, they can transform the front of your house at any time of the year using seasonal foliage and flowers. They can be as compact or as wild or as colourful or muted as you like - let your creative juices flow. All you need is a selection of foliage, herbs and flowers from your garden, woods, parks or hedgerows, an oasis ring or some wire and some secateurs and you are ready to go!

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For a wreath similar to the one in our first picture, start by buying an oasis ring of any size - they are very cheap online or from a local florist shop or garden centre.  Soak the ring in water until it is saturated then arrange your foliage, one type at a time, in a clockwise motion around your oasis. Add standout flowers or decorations towards the end and fill gaps with smaller bits of foliage, berries or moss.

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For this particular wreath, we used bay leaves, ivy, hawthorn and poppy seed heads. Some pretend pumpkins and skulls bought online were also inserted as well as cobwebs which can be reused year after year. If you would prefer to add more natural decorations, try searching for some Old Man's Beard - part of the Clematis family, it is a climber which goes to seed in the Autumn and produces seed heads which have a similar look to cobwebs - which is commonly found in hedgerows.  Or you could dry slices of orange and draw a spooky face on them to resemble halloween pumpkins and then wire them to the wreath.

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Other simple types of wreaths which also look creepy include the twig wreath, as pictured, or a wreath made from a wire or stick frame.

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For a twig wreath, simply gather up a number of interesting sticks and twigs that are flexible. Then wire one long one or two together into a circle shape and add more smaller twigs using wire in a clockwise motion. Curly willow is particularly effective, but any gnarled looking twigs will work. Paint your creation black or keep it natural. Add artificial spiders, crows, bats or anything else to the wreath and hang with pride on your door.

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The final wreath involves wiring or glue-gunning foliage and decorations to a wire or stick ring. You can buy these in the shops or make one using a metal coat hanger or bendy stick.  Try incorporating dry autumn leaves or dried flowers (just hang them upside down for a couple of weeks somewhere dry).

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fiendish table centre

If you are planning a sumptious, bloodcurdling banquet this halloween, why not try and make a ghoulish and atmospheric table centre. Dining by candlelight creates shadows and an intimate feel to a table, perfect for dining with Dracula.

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Our table centre is made in much the same way as our wreath. Firstly, you need two or three blocks of oasis which have been saturated with water. Cover the bottom halves with foil or place on a plate so water does not drip onto your table. Insert three candles, one into the centre of each blocks of oasis. then start to arrange foliage around the blocks, long pieces at the bottom to form a base followed by shorter or more interesting focal items or decorations. We sprayed some of the ivy with silver paint to add a little glamour, but natural is also great.

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Then light up the candles and enjoy your fiendishly delicious Halloween supper!

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