# How to make a native Christmas wreath: an Australian DIY guide Published: 2026-11-07 Category: Native flowers Category URL: https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/category/australian-native-flowers/ Meta Title: How to Make a Native Christmas Wreath | Flowers Across Meta Description: Native Christmas wreath DIY: what to use, how to make one step by step and how to keep fresh Australian foliage looking good, plus tips for hot summer days. Tags: Gifting, Flower Tips, australian natives Tag URLs: Gifting (https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/tag/gifting/), Flower Tips (https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/tag/flower-tips/), australian natives (https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/tag/australian-natives/) URL: https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/native-christmas-wreath/ ![Flowers Across native Christmas wreath with banksias, eucalyptus and billy buttons](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cmodzcy8v00gd01v0jf02au8w/images/flowers-across-native-christmas-wreath-1794024564677-compressed.jpg) **In short:** to make a native Christmas wreath, wire small bundles of eucalyptus or other hardy foliage onto a ring, then add banksias, everlasting daisies and other natives that dry well. Hang it out of direct sun, and it will look fresh for a couple of weeks and then dry into a keepsake. This guide covers what to use, how to make an Australian Christmas wreath step by step, and how to keep it looking good through a hot December. ## Why make a native Christmas wreath? ![Golden banksia flower (Banksia) among dark green leaves](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cmodzcy8v00gd01v0jf02au8w/images/golden-banksia-pixabay-5119759-1794024567138-compressed.jpg)Image by TerriAnneAllen from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/id-5119759/) The classic wreath was designed for a cold northern Christmas: fir, holly and pine cones that sit happily on a frosty door for weeks. Hang one on a sunny Australian porch in December and it can wilt within days. Many Australian natives handle the heat far better. Banksias, everlastings and gum leaves tend to dry on the ring rather than rot, so your wreath simply turns a little more rustic as the weeks go on. You also get colours that feel local: silver-blue eucalyptus, rust and gold banksias and the red and green of kangaroo paw. It turns out kangaroo paw has been dressed for Christmas all along. ## What you'll need ![Fresh eucalyptus leaves (Eucalyptus) for a wreath base](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cmodzcy8v00gd01v0jf02au8w/images/eucalyptus-leaves-pixabay-2086785-1794024565866-compressed.jpg)Image by LauraLisLT from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/id-2086785/) - **A wreath base:** a wire, copper or grapevine ring. 25–35 cm suits most front doors. - **Florist's wire** (paddle wire) and a pair of secateurs - **Base foliage:** eucalyptus (silver dollar or baby blue), grevillea, wattle or olive - **Feature pieces:** 3–5 banksia heads, a few stems of kangaroo paw, everlasting (paper) daisies, billy buttons, and protea or leucadendron - **Optional:** NSW Christmas bush for a burst of red. Find out more about it in our guide to [Christmas flowers in Australia](https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/classic-and-modern-christmas-flowers/). - **Optional finishing touches:** a linen or deep red ribbon and a few dried orange slices If you're choosing natives for the first time, our [guide to Australian native flowers](https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/australian-native-flowers-the-grand-collection/) explains what each one looks like. ## How to make a Christmas wreath, step by step 1. **Condition your stems.** Recut the foliage and stand it in a bucket of water for a few hours, so it goes onto the ring well hydrated. 2. **Make small bundles.** Gather 3–4 short sprigs of foliage, about 10–15 cm long, and wrap the base of each bundle with wire. 3. **Wire the bundles on.** Lay the first bundle on the ring and wrap it tightly. Lay the next bundle so it covers the stems of the first, all facing the same way, and keep going until the ring is full. 4. **Add the heavy pieces first.** Wire banksias and proteas on next, spaced in a loose triangle so the wreath looks balanced. 5. **Fill in with the lighter natives.** Tuck kangaroo paw, everlastings and billy buttons into the gaps, securing each one with a short length of wire. 6. **Finish and hang.** Add a ribbon loop at the top and check the back for sharp wire ends before you hang it. ## Native wreath ideas to try ![Christmas wreath with eucalyptus leaves, paper daisies and dried flowers](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cmodzcy8v00gd01v0jf02au8w/images/eucalyptus-paper-daisy-wreath-pexels-14681222-1794024568360-compressed.jpg)Photo by wr heustis on [Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-close-up-shot-of-a-wreath-14681222/) - **Minimal gum ring:** cover only half of a copper ring with eucalyptus and finish it with a single linen bow. - **Dried and neutral:** bunny tails, bleached ruscus and preserved eucalyptus in soft creams and greys. If you're wondering what holds up best, see [the difference between dried and preserved flowers](https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/what-is-the-difference-between-dried-and-preserved-flowers/). - **Red and green natives:** kangaroo paw, grevillea and Christmas bush give a local take on traditional Christmas colours. - **Table wreath:** lay the wreath flat as a centrepiece with a candle in a glass hurricane in the middle. Keep open flames well away from dry foliage. ## How to care for a fresh native wreath - **Hang it in shade or filtered light.** Direct afternoon sun, especially on a west-facing door, fades and crisps foliage quickly. - **Mist it every few days** for the first week or so while the foliage is fresh. - **Bring it inside on very hot days** if your door cops the full heat. - **Let it dry gracefully.** Once the foliage starts to dry, stop misting. Banksias, everlastings, billy buttons and gum leaves all dry well, so you can keep the wreath as a dried decoration. ## Pair it with a poinsettia A wreath on the door and a poinsettia on the table cover the classic Christmas look. If you're bringing one home this year, read our guide to [poinsettia care in Australia](https://blog.flowersacross.com.au/poinsettia-care/) to keep it looking good past Boxing Day. ## Deck the halls the easy way Short on time? Our florists make festive wreaths, arrangements and plants each season, and our native and Christmas Cheer wreaths appear in our Christmas range when in season. Browse the [Flowers Across Christmas collection](https://www.flowersacross.com.au/occasion/christmas/), and order early in the busy week before Christmas, when delivery slots fill fast. ## FAQs Q: How long does a fresh native Christmas wreath last? A: It usually looks fresh for one to two weeks, depending on the heat. Many natives then dry on the ring, so it can be kept as a dried wreath for much longer. Q: What foliage is best for an Australian Christmas wreath? A: Eucalyptus, grevillea, wattle and olive foliage hold up better in summer heat than fir or holly. Q: Can I hang a wreath on a sunny door? A: It will fade and dry quickly in direct sun. For a sunny door, use dried or preserved materials, or hang the wreath somewhere shaded. Q: Can I use Christmas bush in a wreath? A: Yes. NSW Christmas bush adds red colour, but condition the stems in water first because it can wilt quickly once cut. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---