Premium Handmade Door Wreath
Natural
Noble fir and glossy stems with a burlap bow, dried orange, twisted hazel, lotus heads and small pine cones.
From £45Regular 34cm £45 or Large 65 cm £65
View this wreathChristmas wreath guides
How to recycle or compost a real Christmas wreath after Christmas
Once Christmas is over, a real wreath does not have to go in the bin. Most of it is fir and other greenery that can be composted, and several parts are worth keeping for next year. Here is how to take it apart safely, what can go where, and how to check your council’s rules.
Our Natural wreath, handmade on the farm with Noble Fir and natural decorations
Quick answer
Take the wreath apart first. Remove the bow, ribbon, wire, plastic and any artificial decorations, such as fake berries. The clean fir and other greenery can then usually go on a home compost heap or in your garden waste bin. Rules vary by council, so check yours before putting anything out.
- Compost
- Clean greenery only
- Remove first
- Wire, ribbon, plastic
- Keep
- Frame, bow, dried decorations
Can you recycle a real Christmas wreath?
Mostly, yes, but not in one piece. The fir, holly and other greenery are plant material and can usually be composted or put out with garden waste. The wire, ribbon, plastic or artificial decorations and, often, the frame are not, so they need to come off first.
The RHS guide to Christmas wreaths says to remove all wire, as well as ribbons and plastic-based components such as tinsel, before composting. Zero Waste Scotland says natural greenery such as holly, ivy or fir clippings can be composted or put in your garden waste bin once it has been removed from the base, provided it is not covered in glitter.
Here is how the parts of a typical fresh wreath split up.
| Part of the wreath | Where it usually goes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fir, holly and other greenery | Home compost or garden waste | Only once it is free of wire and glitter. Council rules vary. |
| Pine cones, dried orange, cinnamon | Keep for reuse, or compost | Easy to save if still in good shape. |
| Bow and ribbon | Keep for reuse | The RHS says ribbons can usually be reused next year. |
| Wire and metal frame | Keep for reuse | Never in the compost. |
| Artificial berries, plastic, foam, glitter | Keep out of compost and garden waste | Reuse if you can, otherwise check your council’s advice. |
Step by step: how to take apart a Christmas wreath
Take your wreath down when the needles feel crisp and start to drop. Our guide to how long a fresh Christmas wreath lasts covers the signs to look for.
Before you start: wear garden gloves, because needles and cut wire ends are sharp and some people react to fir sap. Have wire cutters or old secateurs to hand. Work outdoors or in a garage on an old sheet, so dropped needles are easy to gather up. Keep small parts, cut wire and decorations away from children and pets.
Take off the bow and ribbon
Untie the bow rather than cutting it, and shake out any needles. A bow that has kept its shape can go straight into a box for next year.
Remove the wired decorations
Pine cones, dried orange slices, cinnamon bundles and similar decorations are usually held on with thin wire. Untwist or snip the wire at the back and lift each piece off. Keep decorations in one pile and loose wire in a separate tub.
Pick out anything artificial or plastic
Look closely for artificial berries, plastic picks, glittered pieces, tinsel and any foam. These cannot go in the compost. Set them aside to reuse or dispose of separately.
Free the foliage from the frame
Snip or unwind the wire holding the greenery to the ring and pull the stems away, a section at a time. Run a gloved hand through the pile afterwards to catch stray wire.
Check the frame or base
Wreath bases vary. The RHS mentions willow, straw and wire rings, as well as pre-made padded bases. A metal ring can be kept. If you are not sure what the base is made of, keep it out of the compost.
Sort the greenery for composting
You should now have a pile of clean foliage, ready for the compost heap or your garden waste bin.
How to compost fresh fir and evergreen foliage
Fir branches can go on a home compost heap, but they are woody, so prepare them first.
- Chop it up. The RHS composting guide advises chopping up or shredding any long stems or prunings before adding them. Snip fir stems into short lengths, or use a garden shredder.
- Treat it as “brown” material. The RHS describes brown material as mainly dry woody waste, such as prunings and hedge trimmings. Its guidance is for around 25 to 50 per cent soft green material, such as grass clippings and vegetable peelings, with the rest woody brown material.
- Mix, don’t dump. The RHS warns against letting any one material dominate the heap, so mix the fir in with softer waste.
- Be patient. The RHS says compost can take between six months and two years to reach maturity.
If you do not have a compost heap, the garden waste route below is usually the simplest option.
Can Christmas wreaths go in your garden waste bin?
Often the greenery can, but there is no single rule for the whole UK. Each council sets its own rules for garden waste and Christmas trees, and not every household has a garden waste collection.
As one example, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s page on natural Christmas wreaths says to remove the natural materials from your wreath, including leaves, foliage, berries, twigs and pine cones, and put them in the brown food and garden waste bin for composting. That is one council’s advice, not a rule for everywhere, so check your own.
To find yours, use the gov.uk find your local council tool, which takes your postcode, then look for the council’s garden waste or Christmas recycling page. Things worth checking:
- whether garden waste is collected at your address, and on which days
- whether wreath greenery can go in the bin, and how small it needs to be
- whether the council runs a separate Christmas tree collection or drop-off point
What parts of a Christmas wreath can you reuse?
More than you might think. The RHS says the wire, ribbons and plastic-based parts you remove can usually be reused next year, and Zero Waste Scotland suggests keeping decorative parts, such as ribbons and the base, to make a table decoration or another wreath next Christmas.
- Metal frames and rings. Brush off the needles, let the frame dry and store it flat.
- Bows and ribbon. Let them dry if damp and store loosely in a box.
- Natural dried decorations. Pine cones, dried orange slices and cinnamon sticks can be kept in a dry box for next year’s wreath, a table centrepiece or crafts. Discard anything soft or mouldy.
- Loose wire. Keep longer pieces in a jar for the garden or next year’s decorations.
If you would rather not keep them, natural cones and dried fruit can go in the compost with the foliage.
What about glitter, plastic and floral foam?
These are not plant material, so they do not belong in compost or garden waste.
- Glitter. Zero Waste Scotland’s advice on composting wreath greenery only applies if it is not covered in glitter, and it says glitter on baubles would impact the recycling process. If your foliage has been glittered, keep it out of the compost.
- Plastic and artificial parts. Remove plastic picks, tinsel, artificial berries and fake flowers. Zero Waste Scotland suggests keeping plastic flowers and berries to use again.
- Floral foam. Some wreaths are built on a ring of floral foam, sometimes called oasis. The RHS advises avoiding floral foam, as it is environmentally harmful. Keep it out of compost and garden waste. Zero Waste Scotland notes that an oasis ring can be used again.
If you cannot reuse something, check your council’s advice rather than guessing.
Are real Christmas wreaths better for the environment?
There is no simple answer. A real wreath is mostly plant material that can be composted or go out with garden waste at the end of the season, provided the wire and decorations come off first. An artificial wreath can be reused for years, and its case gets stronger the longer you keep it. For the full comparison, readreal vs artificial Christmas wreaths.
How our farm-fresh wreaths are made
Our wreaths are handmade on the Finnegan family Christmas tree farm in Clogher, County Tyrone, using Noble Fir grown on the farm. The natural decorations we use include pine cones, dried orange slices, twisted hazel, lotus heads, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, acorns and holly, depending on the style.
To be clear, the decorations are wired on, so every wreath contains some wire, and the red berry clusters on our Traditional wreath are artificial. The bows are hand-tied burlap on the Natural and Contemporary styles and red velvet on the Traditional. When you take one down, remove the bow, wire and artificial berries and check the base before composting the foliage.
Until then, see how to keep your Christmas wreath fresh throughout December.
Noble Fir foliage from our farm, and our Traditional wreath, whose red berry clusters are artificial and should be removed before composting.
Quick checklistGloves on. Bow, decorations and wire off. Artificial, plastic, foam and glittered parts out. Frame kept. Clean greenery into the compost or, if your council allows, the garden waste bin.
Sources and further reading
- RHS: Christmas wreaths (remove wire, ribbons and plastic before composting; these can usually be reused; avoid floral foam)
- RHS: composting (green and brown material, chopping stems, how long compost takes)
- Zero Waste Scotland: what to do with Christmas decorations and tree lights (composting wreath greenery, glitter, reusing decorative parts)
- gov.uk: find your local council and, as one example, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council: natural Christmas wreath
Wreath recycling questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions about what to do with a real wreath after Christmas.
Can I put a Christmas wreath in my garden waste bin?
Usually the greenery can go in, but not the whole wreath. Strip off the wire, ribbon, frame and any artificial or glittered parts first. Garden waste rules are set by each council, so check yours before putting it out, including what size the pieces need to be.
How long does fir take to compost?
There is no exact figure for fir on its own. The RHS says home compost in general takes between six months and two years to mature. Chopping fir stems into short lengths and mixing them with softer green waste, as the RHS advises for woody prunings, gives them the best chance.
Can you reuse a wreath frame?
Yes, a metal ring is worth keeping. Remove every bit of foliage and wire, let it dry, then store it flat in a shed or cupboard. You can use it for next year’s wreath, or for a table decoration in the meantime.
What should I do with the bow?
Keep it. Untie it rather than cutting it, shake out the needles, let it dry if it is damp and store it loosely in a box so it holds its shape. A good bow can dress next year’s wreath, a gift or a garland.
Are the berries on your Traditional wreath compostable?
No. The red berry clusters on our Traditional wreath are artificial, so remove them before composting the foliage. You can keep them for crafts or next year’s decorations. The fir, holly, cinnamon sticks and pine cones on that wreath are natural.
Our family farm
Grown on the farm, made by hand.
Every wreath is handmade fresh on the Finnegan family Christmas tree farm in Clogher, County Tyrone, using Noble Fir foliage grown on the farm. They are made to order in small batches, and each one varies slightly because the materials are natural.
- Grown hereNoble Fir from our own fields
- Made to orderSmall batches, handmade fresh
- Free UK deliveryBoxed, ready to hang
Handmade on the farm
Next Christmas, start fresh.
Three styles built on Noble Fir from our farm, each in Regular 34cm from £45 and Large 65cm. Made to order, with free UK delivery.
Premium Handmade Door Wreath
Contemporary
Noble fir and seasonal greenery with a burlap bow, dried orange, twisted hazel, lotus heads, rosemary and acorns.
From £45Regular 34cm £45 or Large 65 cm £65
View this wreathPremium Handmade Door Wreath
Traditional
Noble fir and variegated holly with a red velvet bow, artificial red berry clusters, cinnamon bundles and pine cones.
From £45Regular 34cm £45 or Large 65 cm £65
View this wreathFree UK delivery on every wreath. Boxed, ready to hang.
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Keep reading
More Christmas wreath guides.
Real vs artificial Christmas wreaths: which is better?
Fresh or fake? Compare real and artificial Christmas wreaths side by side on scent, upkeep, cost, allergies, safety and environment, then choose what suits you.
How long does a fresh Christmas wreath last?
How long a real fir wreath lasts outdoors and indoors, what shortens its life, and how to keep yours looking fresh.
How to keep your Christmas wreath fresh throughout December
A practical December care routine for a fresh wreath: unboxing, hanging, misting, weather, weekly checks, storage and knowing when to take it down.
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