Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 1

In this article series, we'll discuss the elements of shopping to select the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment the area you have in mind. Outdoor wreaths are a very effective way to bring color and texture to a front door, a back patio, a porch, or just about any area. We'll also discuss how to be sure that your online transaction is safe and secure when purchasing over the internet.

To start, determine the area which you are seeking to add enhancement. Ask some basic questions - What size wreath am I looking for? What sort of durability will I need to handle the outdoor elements? Is there a theme or particular color in the rest of my outdoor decor that my wreath will need to flow with? Will a live wreath, a dried wreath, or a silk outdoor wreath suit my purposes best?

Now that you've determined answers to your first question, next, let's talk a bit about lighting. What is the temperature of your room? Because your wreath is outdoors, it is true that the lighting will technically be "natural" but does it have direct sunlight or does it bear the blue tones of sun shadow because direct natural light never shines in that room? Keep in mind that natural light will greatly enhance the beauty and vibrancy of your wreath. Is your current lighting adequate? Will the lighting of the space determine the hues of greenery or flowers in your outdoor wreath?

Also be sure that your outdoor wreath is appropriately sized for the space you would like to hang it. Oversized wreaths look very nice as house ornaments while small dainty wreaths look very inviting on individual doors.

Next determine the season that your wreath will express. Use warm and bright colors of flowers, bright fresh greenery, and seasonal berries for spring and summer. Use rust colors, deep browns, grasses, or earthen accessorized wreaths for fall. Individual holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and July Fourth can be accentuated by a simple red bow, set of Easter bulbs, or decorative flag added to your current in-season outdoor wreath. You will want the blossoms and blooms of your outdoor wreaths to correspond with the blossoms and blooms of nature for that season. For example, in early summer, flower blooms will be bursting with vibrant color, but by early autumn, those blooms will have withered up and fallen off. Don't display a wreath overflowing with spring bulb plants as fall is setting in.

Having determined the season, context, and lighting, you can now shop for the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment your area of need.

In our next installment, we'll look closely at how to find the widest selection of wreaths with the least amount of effort and how to ensure a safe and secure online transaction when purchasing over the internet. Stay tuned!

Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 2

The previous installment of this article dealt with the keys to successfully using outdoor wreaths and what questions you need to ask yourself about things like lighting, colors, and season before making your purchase. In part two we will focus on hanging your outdoor wreath, wreath storage, and accessorizing your outdoor wreath for holidays or special occasions. We will also cover credit card fraud and how to ensure that your online transactions are safe and secure.

Now that you've purchased your outdoor wreath, you're left to simply hang it in the desired location. Wreath hangers are available at most craft stores and where wreaths are sold for under $15. The most common wreath hanger is an over the door holder. One part of the wreath hanger fits snugly over the top of the door while the hook part hangs down for the wreath to be hung from. Another popular display method is a wreath stand. While obviously not a good choice for a front door, it can work nicely in a corner of the porch arranged next to a wicker rocker. There are also various weighted ledge hangers that work by placing the weighted base on a ledge and fixing the wreath into place on the hanger that comes down from the base.

Wreath storage boxes are available in cardboard and in durable, air-tight plastic. Their circular-shape will help maintain your outdoor wreath's shape while stored, far better than plastic wrap and tape. Stacking wreath-storage boxes helps when organizing your home. They make for quick access and great space utilization. Just pull out the storage box, open them to see 'like- new' sets of wreaths.

Accessorizing your outdoor wreath for different holidays is a great way to get maximum enjoyment out of your investment. Carefully wrap your outdoor wreath in a red velvet ribbon and add a sprig of holly berries and perhaps a string of white Christmas lights to bring an evergreen wreath to life for the Christmas holiday. Attach a tied cluster of variegated grass and straw stalks with a rust colored bow for autumn flair. In spring and summer, add in-season silk flowers to a simple grapevine wreath. If this method isn't preferred, many people have several different outdoor wreaths that they rotate each season.

Finally, be kind to yourself and be spared some time, aggravation, and gasoline by facilitating the use of the internet to shop for those perfect outdoor wreaths. Cyberspace offers a huge selection to choose from, but exercise some caution before entering your personal information and be sure that the site offers excellent guarantees and security policies.

The sites you will most want to shop from will offer money-back guarantees, satisfaction guarantees, excellent return and exchange policies, and free shipping. Be sure to shop on sites that use secure encryption for every credit card transaction and display one or more of the major trust icons like Hacker Safe, Geo Trust, Authorize.net or others. These services ensure that the websites they protect are 100% safe and secure and that there are no loopholes by which fraud can occur and credit card information can be stolen. It is truly shocking how many retail sites offer no such protection at all to their consumers.