Creating a sympathy wreath

When somebody you care about loses a loved one, it can be quite difficult to express your sorrow for their loss. You want to offer your support without encroaching on their need for time with their family. Which is why fresh flowers are the perfect gift. You can send a sympathy wreath to the family and show them that they are in your thoughts. If you would like to make the arrangement yourself, here are some simple instructions.

You will need:

• A circular ring of floral foam
• 5 carnations
• 1 bunch of spray carnations
• Gypsophila
• Leather leaf
• Soft ruscus

Instructions:

• Start by preparing all of your supplies. They will need to cut to size and any extra leaves might need to be removed.
• Round off the edges of the foam and soak briefly in fresh water. Take care not to overdo the soaking or it will end up dripping.
• Start adding plant material. Your leather leaf will create the perfect base. Angle the leaves downwards and work your way from the outside around the base to the inside of the wreath.
• Add the carnations and make sure that their stems are the longest of all the flowers. Space them equally apart around the base of the wreath.
• Add the spray carnations in between the regular ones.
• Now add some gypsophilia and ruscus in between and make sure that there are no gaps from any angle. If you see any gaps, fill them with some filler flowers (gypsophillia or spray carnations) or foliage.
• Present the wreath to your friend or loved one and be sure to include a card expressing your deepest sympathies.

If you make the wreath yourself, you will need to present it. You can present it to the family at their home or, if you prefer, you could take it with you on the day of the funeral and place it on the grave. No matter which way you choose to present these flowers, make sure that you always check with the family first. You want to make sure that you respect their wishes.