DIY Mossy Tillandsia Wreath

We will not be putting up a tree this year since the house is filled with plants for the book, but there's always room for a festive wreath, right? I've been wanting to make a Tillandsia wreath for some time now, but I decided to use some craft moss to give it a more natural 'rainforest' look than the others I've seen. Like most of my projects, this wreath was very easy to assemble and didn't take much time at all.

You'll Need:

1 grapevine wreath
1 bag of decorative deer moss (lichen)
Several Tillandsias (air plants)
Wire or twine

Directions:

1. Plan your design. It helps to have a game plan before you start, whether you're covering the whole wreath with Tillandsias or just adding a cluster. Lay the Tillandsias out over the wreath to see where they look best.

2. Attach the Tillandsias. Using wire or twine, gently tie the base of each plant to the wreath. Some Tillandsias have tough stolons or stems that can be directly inserted into the wreath, but others have brittle and fragile leaves. For the smaller or more fragile types, use twine or a hot glue gun.

3. Tuck moss into the wreath. To keep my arrangement looking natural, I limited my moss to the area that I planted Tillandsias. That way it looks as if they were growing there naturally.

4. Hang the wreath on the wall. If you live in zones 9 and up, it's possible to hang it outdoors and bring it inside during frosts. Spray the Tillandsias periodically with a mister, using more water for green leaved varieties and less water for the silver or white leaved varieties.

You're done! The beauty of a Tillandsia wreath is that while it does fit in perfectly with holiday decor, it's versatile enough that you can leave it up year-round. The tillandsias will continue to grow, bloom and produce offsets, and each year your wreath will become more impressive!

If you liked this wreath, check out this living mistletoe cactus kissing ball!