With spring taking its sweet time showing its face up here in the North East, I though I'd be the change I want to see and stick some flowers on my door.

I LOVE the American tradition of door wreaths. Christmas wreath are a thing in the UK but the idea of seasonal or celebration themes wreaths isn't something that's seen that often on the doors of English homes. Maybe it's because Americans (in my experience) are much some free and confident about expressing their participation in holidays, or their pride in their community- seeing the starred and striped flags proudly fluttering outside people's house is one of my favourite things about American neighbourhoods.

We put up a pretty standard Christmas wreath on our current house this past Christmas, partly because it was the first time in the States we wholly owned a door that wasn't part of a multi-family home or ruled by a grumpy building management agency, and partly to fool burglars into thinking we actually lived there.. which we didn't, but I can say that on the internet now because we do actually live there. Suckers.

Wanting to throw myself into full on Martha Stewart-eque homeownership, I was all for embracing the seasonal wreath.

Not having the patience or attention to detail to manage, water and maintain a living wreath (see: wearing swimwear as underwear) I knew I was going down the faux route.

I found some FANTASTIC fake flowers (and some not so fantastic ones) in Walmart- this link the actual product not just the homepage of Wallymart.

For $8 a branch, and looking a realistic as it did, it was a bargain. I bought four to make my wreath along with some wired (although it's didn't really need to be) hessian 1 inch ribbon.

Next up, lat one branch on top of another so that they create a full circle, use 3 inches of your ribbon to tie them together.

Repeat the last step but turn your newly made circle around by ninety degree so that when you tie the end together you end up with connections at four evenly space points around your wreath.

When you tie the ends up on your second circle, tie the new branch to the original circle as well so it's all tied up together.

Use your ribbon to wrap the branch circle all the way round, this will give a pretty, rustic base to the wreath that will show through here and there. It will also strengthen the wreath so it'll keep it's shape.

Keep the excess loose, secure it with a knot then let it hang. This extra ribbon can be used to hang the wrath or cover the wreath hook if you use one.

This next step was a little unwieldy (which is why I failed to take an instructional photo), wrap the flowered end of one of the branch around the wreath, like you did with the ribbon, so that one quarter to a half is covered in flowers. It might look a little patchy to start with bit that's ok. There branches are pretty bendy and flexible, so it might feel like it's going to snap but just be gentle and it'll wind its way around your wreath.

Repeat with all the flowered end of the branched until your wreath is entirely covered, then go back over it and tuck and twist the unruly sprigs into order, weaving them in to themselves to that they form a more uniform circle shape.

I like the wild and natural look, so I kept mine a little haphazard with some twigs poking out here and there.

I use a wreath hook, which hooks over the top of the door, to hang mine so I don't have to put any holes in my door. It's shiny silver and doesn't really match the look of the flowers so I folded the excess ribbon over it to cover it up.

I'n total this cost me $40 and is maintenance free. Being fake it'll also last for ages so is basically a massive bargain.

I'm definitely well and truly on team wreath so i'll be changing it up come summer.. maybe I'll have a number of summer costume changes, we'll have to see whats in stock in Wallymart.