How to make an autumn leaf wreath

The walk to forage for and pick bronze, yellow, orange and red fallen leaves from pavements or woodland paths can be as enjoyable as creating the wreath itself.

Take an album or box file with you to keep the leaves in good condition, separating them with tissue paper if possible. Head for oak, beech, acer and sycamore trees - their foliage promises a vibrant burst of colour.

The sculptural structures of seedheads can look stunning, too, particularly when sprayed with a gold or silver paint and used sparingly in a wreath. Including evergreen foliage in the arrangement will show off the burnished autumnal shades to good effect. Berries, hips and haws add both different colours and shapes to the design.

Once home, arrange your finds on a table so you can see the whole collection at a glance; this will help your design once you start arranging them on the wreath base. Rosehips can even be made into a chain, thread them onto string using a darning needle, leaving enough string either end with which to tie them, so that the wreath can be hung like a mobile or in chandelier-style from a hook on a ceiling or as a welcoming decoration in a porch.

Taking strands of willow and hazel - hedgerows are a good source of these - to create a circle using florists' wire to tie them together. Select your leaves, choosing a variety of shapes and colours for a blaze of autumn's riches, and glue ‘stems' of wire to each one, winding these onto the different strands of twig. Working around the frame, create a balance of leaf forms and hues, filling in any gaps.

Cut a length of ribbon long enough to suspend the wreath from your door knocker or a hook. Attach a red, gold, chocolate-brown or bronze ribbon by tying it around the wreath, finishing with a pretty bow on top. It will look as stylish on an internal door as on the front entrance, just bear in mind that central heating will dry it quickly, so try to keep it away from radiators.

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