All year long I like to forage for things outdoors. In the spring I look for morel mushrooms. In the summer, I gather wildflowers at our cabin. But fall is the best time for gathering natural materials to use for crafting and display.

This is the perfect time of year to take a hike and look for dried flowers, grasses, pinecones, branches, colored leaves and so much more. The weather has cooled, so heading out to the park or forest is a perfect autumn activity.

There are so many ways to use natural materials. You can use them to make dried bouquets, create craft projects, and decorate for the season. One of my favorite projects for these materials is to make a simple wreath.

I want to show you how easy it is to make a natural wreath out of foraged materials that you’ve gathered.

Read: Tips for Gathering Natural Materials for Your Autumn Decor

What to Gather for Your Natural Foraged Wreath…

There are so many great options to look for when making your wreath. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Branches, plain or covered with moss
• Vines
• Grasses
• Dried flowers
• Pinecones
• Seed pods
• Acorns
• Colorful leaves
• Bark
• Moss
• Cattails
• Feathers
• Ferns
• Rosehips
• Berries on the stem

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Easy Steps to Make a Natural Foraged Wreath

Step 1- Create the Base

To make your wreath, you’ll want to start with your base. You can make your own base from branches or vines. Or you can purchase a grapevine wreath, wire wreath form, or straw base. This will really depend on what you’ve gathered and how much effort you want to put into your wreath making.

Using a grapevine wreath has the benefit of places to tuck branches. It’s a natural fit if you’re using a lot of strong stems. If your stems are weaker, you can bundle them together and attach them to a wire wreath form. The third option is a straw wreath form. This is a great choice if you have moss and other small pieces that you need to glue on.

Be sure to attach a floral wire ring to the back of your base so you can hang it from your door. It’s best to place this first so you don’t damage the delicate stems once you’ve attached them. To do this, take a one-foot piece of floral wire and form a 2-inch loop in the center. Twist the ends to make sure the loop is strong and then attach to the back of the wreath form.

Step 2- Determine Your Pattern

Spread out the supplies you’ve gathered. This will give you a good idea of what’s available to attach to your wreath form. I like to create my pattern before attaching materials to my wreath to make sure that it’s balanced and that I have enough.

Experiment with your design to create a pleasing display. Use some of your material to form a backdrop while other stems will look better if bunched together. Work gently with your supplies as many of these gathered materials will be delicate.

If you attach your materials and change your mind, you could damage the stems. Laying your arrangement out before attaching can help you make sure you have enough of each type of material.

TIP: Wear a sturdy pair of gloves if you’re working with thorny branches such as rose hips.

Step 3- Start with the bottom layer

Now that you have your layout in mind, start by attaching your bottom layer to the wreath form. How you attach will depend on what you’re using. If the bottom layer is made of heavy branches, you can tuck them in or wire them on. When you’re starting with grasses, bundle them together and attach them with floral wire. For small items such as pieces of moss, you can hot glue them to your form.

The bottom layer is usually your sturdiest material. If you don’t have a large amount of one type of material, you can use a mix of materials for this bottom layer.

Step 4- Begin adding in your next layer

Next, attach bunches of dried flower stalks, rose hips, pinecones, and grasses. You’ll use these to fill in and add color to your wreath. Attach these stems with floral wire. In this step, continue to add multiple layers until you get the fullness and look you desire.

Step 5- Add decorative touches

Finally, add in small decorative items such as acorns, nests, feathers, and seedpods to create contrast. These small items will make your wreath pop. You’ll need to hot glue these smaller items on. Try to tuck them in so they look natural. Finish up with a simple ribbon if desired or just leave your wreath natural.

Hang your “gathered” wreath on the front door or garden shed and enjoy the natural beauty of autumn.

If you have any leftover material, use it to make a “bouquet” for your outdoor table. I like to place different dried stems in vases for a simple table display. Or you can make a second wreath to use or give away.

Now that the weather is cooling, this is a perfect time to lace up your shoes, grab a picnic and water bottle and head out for an autumn-inspired walk. Keep an eye out for natural materials to gather along the way. Then turn those materials into a natural foraged wreath.