Flower Headdresses

A flower headdress, or flower crown, is a band of flowers, leaves and grasses worn on the head. It's usually made by taping small bunches of fresh or dried flowers onto a wire base, then finishing it with ribbon. Flower crowns have been worn at celebrations for centuries, from weddings to midsummer parties, and making your own is a surprisingly relaxing craft.

The full crown is the showstopper, with flowers all the way round. Maximum drama.

The half crown keeps the blooms at the front or off to one side, with ribbon tied at the back for a comfy fit.

The flower comb or side piece is smaller and more subtle, perfect if you like a bit of floral flair without the full fairy-queen look.

Plenty of cultures have their own versions too, from May Day and midsummer crowns across Europe to the vinok, a Ukrainian crown of flowers and trailing ribbons.

Dried flowers are the secret weapon. They're light, they hold their colour and they won't wilt halfway through the evening. Look out for lavender, statice, strawflowers, fluffy bunny tail grass and gypsophila, which is better known as baby's breath. Fresh flowers look gorgeous but droop sooner. Foraged extras such as leaves, pine cones and little twigs give your crown a wild, woodland edge.

Bend a length of wire into a band that sits comfortably on your head. Make a small bunch of flowers, trim the stems short and hold it against the wire. Wrap it tightly with florist tape, which is stretchy and only gets sticky once you stretch it. Add the next bunch so its heads cover the stems of the one before, and keep working your way round. Tie ribbon at the back so you can adjust the fit. Your Activity Leader will show you the wrapping technique, so no one ends up taped to the table.

Totally. There's no wrong way to arrange flowers, only your way. It's calm, creative and the kind of thing you can do while chatting to the person next to you. Plus, you walk away wearing your work, which beats most crafts. Fancy adding something personal? Forage a leaf or pine cone beforehand that you can't live without.

You might also like Summer Wreaths, Macrame and Terrariums.

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