What’s the first thing you notice about a person’s front door or porch? For me, it’s the wreath. If there isn’t a wreath, the porch looks like it’s missing something. A wreath is like the cherry on top of a sundae. It adds sparkle to the door and porch.

While I have a stash of pre-made wreaths that I use throughout the year, I like to make seasonal wreaths as well. I’ve been eyeing my sage plant for some time now, thinking it would make a beautiful simple wreath.

So I took an afternoon and put aside the harvesting, dead-heading, preserving, and cleaning to just relax and make myself a very fragrant fresh sage wreath.

Steps to Make a Simple Sage Wreath…

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Your first step is to gather all the potential supplies you’ll need. Here is a list of what I used:

• 16-inch wire frame wreath
• 24-gauge green florist paddle wire
• Garden snips
• Fresh sage (about 80 sprigs) 6-7 inches long
• Thin twine or string (optional)
• Ribbon or Bow

I needed a lot of sage to fill this 16-inch wreath form. Consider how much sage you have available to determine the size of your wreath. My plant was huge, so I didn’t mind cutting off this many sprigs. If you don’t have as much sage available, you could use a smaller-sized wreath frame.

Another option would be to use a grapevine wreath, which wouldn’t need as much sage to fill in with. The grapevines are attractive and don’t have to be completely covered like the wire frames do.

Step 2: Prepare the Sage

It’s helpful to prepare your sage before you assemble the wreath. Remove the bottom leaves on the sage stems so you have about 3 inches of bare stem. Also, remove any dead or damaged leaves from the stems.

Bundle 4 to 5 stems together. My stems were thin and pliable and didn’t need support to hold them together. However, sometimes it helps to tie the bundles together with twine or string. Trim the ends of the stems so that they’re even. And remove any excess twine. You should end up with 20 to 25 bundles.

Step 3: Prepare the Wreath Ring

Next, attach the paddle wire to the wreath ring. Be sure it’s securely attached. You could also add a wire loop for hanging your wreath if needed.

Step 4: Attach Sage Bundles

Next, attach the sage bundles. Start at the bottom of the wreath and wire on your first bundle by twisting the paddle wire around the sage and wire wreath. I looped the wire 2 to 3 times around the sage stems and wreath form to make sure it was secure. Trim the ends of the sage stems if they’re sticking out too much. Do not cut the paddle wire.

Take a second bundle of sage and position this bundle on top of the first bundle. You want to be very close to the first bundle to keep the wreath full. Wire the second bundle in place. Continue attaching the sage bundles on top of the preceding bundles. Be sure that the previous stems do not show.

As you move around the wreath frame attaching the sage, you’ll have two options…

Option 1:

The first option is to continue around the wreath until you completely cover the wire form. All the bundles flow in the same direction. When you get to the last sage bundle, you’ll need to tuck the stems under the first bunch and carefully attach it.

Originally, this was the style I created. However, once I hung the wreath, the sage leaves drooped significantly on one side because of their weight. One way to combat this is to lay your wreath flat until the leaves dry in place. Then when you hang the wreath, the leaves will not automatically droop. You can then wire any bundles up that still droop down.

Option 2:

The second option is to attach the stems on both sides from bottom to top. The bundles will flow downward on both sides of the wreath. This keeps the leaves looking natural.

To do this, when you get to the top of the first side, cut the paddle wire and firmly attach the wire to the frame. Then reattach the paddle wire to the bottom of the frame and start up the opposite side, attaching the sage bundles as you go. Once you get to the top, there will be a small gap. Attach a final sage bundle to cover this. Or you can just cover this spot with a very full bow or ribbon.

NOTE: See the difference in the image above where the sage is attached in the same direction. The leaves on the left side don’t lay flat but want to droop down. The image below shows the sage placed to go downward on both sides and the leaves lay flat.

Once you’ve completely covered the wire frame with sage, check to see if you have any “holes” in your wreath. Hang your wreath and stand back to see if there are any areas that look like they could use a little more fullness. Tuck extra bundles into the wire frame, or wire on bundles to fill in spots that need some additional sage.

Step 5: Add a Ribbon or Bow

Finally, attach a bow or ribbon to your sage wreath. I used a piece of fabric that I strip-pulled to give it a rough edge. But you could use any type of ribbon or bow that appeals to you.

Tips for Making a Fresh Sage Wreath…

Keep in mind that the leaves of your wreath will only stay fresh for a day or two. After that, the leaves will begin to dry out. I found that laying the wreath flat to allow the leaves to dry kept the sage leaves in place better than drying while hanging up. But this will depend on your intent. If you only plan on using the sage wreath for a short time, then hanging immediately would be fine. But if you plan to use it for an extended time, it will last longer if dried flat first.

Depending on the fullness of your sage bundles and the size of your wreath, you might need more or less sage.

Hang your wreath so that it isn’t in direct sunlight. This will break the leaves down faster than if hung in a shady spot. I started with my wreath on the front porch but then moved it indoors so I could enjoy it for the entire autumn season. I might even change out the ribbon and add some bling for Christmas.

Every time you walk by the wreath, ruffle the leaves a bit and breathe deep. It will remind you of summer!

No sage this year? Consider adding a plant or two to your garden next spring. You could actually plant it now if you can find a transplant at your local nursery. Then, by next spring, it will be ready to take off. It grows quickly and has beautiful purple flower stems in the spring for you and the pollinators to enjoy. Sage has many culinary uses as well, such as in this beverage.

Autumn is the perfect time to craft a new wreath for your porch. Using fresh herbs such as sage from your garden is not only inexpensive but will help you enjoy the garden season longer.