We cut when fine weather is forecast, bunch up the stems in groups of 20 and hang them upside-down in the potting shed to air dry, and we keep cutting right the way through to early winter. An ingredients list for one of our wreaths<\/a> or table centrepieces is as likely to include more traditional things such as opium poppy seedheads<\/a>, ornamental grasses<\/a> and ruby-coloured strawflowers, as it is dried bracken, shepherd\u2019s purse and gone-to-seed land cress, which we discovered by neglect has a ethereal airy seedhead that dries beautifully.<\/p>\n The \u2018cloud\u2019 uses a mix of foraged and grown plants including Sorbus hupehensis<\/em> \u2018Pink Pagoda\u2019, Xerochrysum bracteatum Monstrosum Series<\/em>, Daucus carota<\/em> \u2018Dara\u2019 All our ideas come from what is growing around us, either in the walled garden or on the moors, woods and fields near our home. Plants change on a weekly basis and we constantly scrutinise them to see at what stage they are interesting enough to cut. For example, moorland bracken, which in summer is dark green, turns golden bronze and ochre in mid-October. We use this as a filigreed base for much of our winter work, as it holds its shape while slowly twisting into complex three-dimensional shapes as it dries. For our bases, we don\u2019t use floral foam as it is non-biodegradable<\/a>, contains micro-plastics and contains harmful chemicals. We use chicken wire and moss<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n Pick up a copy of December\u2019s magazine or subscribe<\/a> to see two other designs from Roisin and Caroline.<\/p>\n This can be created wherever you have space: above a fireplace, on a wall or strung from a ceiling. The cloud is made of chicken wire twisted into the desired shape and then suspended so that it appears to float. Dried ingredients are then built up in layers so that none of the wire can be seen.<\/p>\n You will need<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 A small amount of chicken wire. This mantelpiece cloud is approximately 75cm x 75cm.<\/p>\n \u2022 Bulky dried material, such as bracken, to cover the wire structure, but you could also use dried asparagus fern, sprigs of native trees with winter leaves and cones, such as oak, beech<\/a> and larch, or evergreen material if you want something more traditional.<\/p>\n \u2022 More textured and coloured accents of dried flowers, grasses and berries for the eye-catching details.<\/p>\n The white flowerheads of Lagurus ovatus<\/em> and yellow bobble heads of Craspedia globosa<\/em> light up this mix of flowers, grasses and bracken. Despite its extravagance, it Watch Roisin and Caroline make the mantelpiece decoration<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/18\/2022\/11\/GILLXmas2258780-v2-c9a92e4.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C157px%2C3584px%2C2388px&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Making a mantelpiece decoration using dried florals<\/h2>\n
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