The best wreaths have contrast between textures, shades of green and a few seasonal extras. 

The hunting starts in late November, early December. Take your secateurs, go for a wander around the garden and see what you can find.

• Conifer, yew, fir or spruce: these will act as the base of your wreath. Their dense foliage covers the frame quickly and holds its shape.
• Holly: the classic choice. Look for stems with plenty of berries, be sure to wear gloves when pruning.
• Ivy: their long trailing stems will be perfect for weaving around the frame and softening the edges.
• Bay, rosemary or eucalyptus: these will provide a lovely fragrance every time the door opens.
• Pine cones, seed heads and dried hydrangea: great for adding natural texture.
• Dogwood or willow stems: these will add that flash of red or yellow against the greenery. Just what you need to make your wreath pop.

The best time to go foraging is in the morning, when stems are at their freshest. Once you have what you need, pop everything in a bucket of cool water for a few hours before you start making your wreath. This gives the foliage a good drink and helps it last much longer once it's on the door.

Christmas wreath making doesn’t require a lot of kit.

Tools you’ll need:

• A wire wreath ring or a moss-covered frame (12 to 14 inches is a good size for a standard front door)
• Florist's wire or a reel of green garden wire
• A pair of sharp secateurs
• Gardening gloves
• Moss, if you're using a wire ring (sphagnum moss is ideal, but moss raked from the lawn works just as well)
• Ribbon, string or twine for hanging

This could get a little messy, so set yourself up on a table you don’t mind getting a bit grubby, or at least put something over it to protect it.

1. Prepare the frame. If you're using a bare wire ring, take handfuls of damp moss and pack them around the ring, binding it tightly in place with wire as you go. Keep wrapping until the whole ring is covered and feels firm. If you've bought a moss ring, give it a good soak in water and let it drain.
2. Cut your foliage to size. Snip your base greenery (conifer, yew or fir) into pieces around 15 to 20cm long. Do the same with the holly, ivy and any fragrant stems. Keep the pieces fairly uniform, as this makes the finished wreath look much neater.
3. Make small bunches. Take three or four pieces of mixed foliage, with a piece of conifer at the back, a sprig of holly and a trail of ivy in front, bind the stems together with a twist of wire. Making these little bundles first is the secret to a full, even wreath.
4. Attach the first bunch. Lay your first bundle on the frame so the foliage points outwards and slightly to one side. Wrap the wire firmly around the stems and the frame two or three times, pulling tight each time.
5. Work your way around. Place the next bunch so its leaves cover the stems of the one before, always facing the same direction, and wire it in place. Keep going around the ring, overlapping as you go, until you're back where you started.
6. Tuck in the final bunch. The last bundle is the trickiest. Lift the foliage of your very first bunch and slide the stems of the final one underneath before wiring it in, so there's no obvious join.
7. Check and fill any gaps. Hold the wreath up at arm's length and turn it slowly. If you spot any thin patches or bits of frame showing, poke a few extra sprigs straight into the moss to fill them.

Your first attempt might be a bit uneven, but don't worry, that's what gives a DIY Christmas wreath its charm. If we wanted perfection we’d buy one in the shops. But where’s the fun in that?

With the greenery in place, it’s time to get creative. There are endless Christmas wreath ideas to choose from, but resist the temptation to go overboard, a few well-placed extras usually does the trick.

Secure pine cones by wrapping a length of wire around the bottom scales, then push the ends into the moss. Dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks tied in bundles and clusters of holly berries all look great and smell even better. Don’t be afraid to try a few bright dogwood stems poked in at an angle to add height and movement.

Why not add a bow? in velvet or hessian at the top or bottom, then loop a length of ribbon or twine through the back of the frame for hanging. A simple, pared-back Christmas door wreath with just foliage and a single bow can look every bit as stylish as one that's heavily decorated, but ultimately it’s all down to personal taste, that’s the beauty of it.

You should get around three to four weeks from a fresh Christmas wreath, comfortably seeing you through to Twelfth Night, but a little care might be required to help it go the distance.

The moss base is what keeps everything alive, so take the wreath down once a week and lay it face down in a sink of cool water for ten minutes or so. Let it drain before hanging it back up. A light mist with a spray bottle every couple of days will also help, particularly if there's a dry, windy spell.

Hang your wreath out of direct sunlight and away from the heat of a porch light; a sheltered, north-facing door is ideal. If indoors, keep it well away from radiators, as central heating dries foliage out quickly.

Don’t be afraid to replace a few sprigs if they start to look tired, simply pull them out and replace them with fresh cuttings.

You likely have everything you need in your garden to make beautiful Christmas wreath.

You just need a little bit of time, a few tools and a dash of creativity to make something truly personal that you can hang and welcome guests all season long.

The best thing is your wreath will reflect your own garden and your own personality. No shop bought wreath can ever match that.