Garden Resource
Rosemary remembrance wreaths
‘There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember.’
Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5
Rosemary has been handed out at remembrance services for centuries
and the custom continues today. Rosemary stands for remembrance,
perhaps because it’s evergreen. It has a strong scent, and scent is a
powerful part of memory. Wreaths are a circle, just like the circle of
the year and the continuity of life. Rosemary wreaths are an ideal
activity for ANZAC Day or Remembrance Day.
Equipment
Start with a vine wreath.
uu Wreath circles. Buy them or make your own with sturdy vines
such as grapevines or wisteria. Use fresh green cuttings, tie
them with wire or string and allow them to dry in the wreath
shape.
uu About 50 rosemary sprigs for each wreath, each sprig about
15–20cm long
uu Florist’s wire – you will want pieces about 25–30 cm long
uu Wire snips to cut the wire
uu Ribbon for a decorative bow (optional)
What to do
Wrap the wire around once
and leave a ‘tail’.
uu Wrap a piece of wire around the wreath form and secure it by
twisting it around itself a few times. Leave one end as a long ‘tail’.
uu Gather a bunch of four or five rosemary sprigs against the wreath
where the wire is twisted. Secure the bunch with the ‘tail’ end of
the wire by wrapping it around the wreath. Tuck in the short end
of the wire.
uu Add another bunch so that the fluffy end of the
second bunch covers the stems and wire of the first bunch.
uu Secure the second bunch with the ‘tail’ of wire.
uu Repeat all the way around the wreath – you will need
10–12 bunches of rosemary. Add more pieces of wire as needed.
uu At the end you can add a bow of ribbon if you like.
Use the ‘tail’ to secure a
bunch of rosemary. Tuck in
the short end of the wire.
Further resources
uu More from the Australian War Memorial about rosemary for
remembrance:
www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/customs/rosemary/
uu A short video showing how to make garden herb wreaths:
http://youtu.be/TAXvhN8G0ME
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation © 2015
Add more bunches.Cover the
stems of the previous bunch
each time.