Whether you are heading to a wedding, celebrating the summer solstice, or just spending an afternoon in the garden, a handmade flower crown adds something a little magical.
But not every flower belongs in one. Stem strength, how well it dries, and how it holds under tape all matter, and choosing wrong is the difference between a crown that looks beautiful all day and one that falls apart before the first dance.
I am writing this with weddings and events in mind, because that is the hardest test. A wedding crown gets made the day before and has to survive heat, wind, photographs, a ceremony, a reception, and people of every age touching it constantly. Plus a toddler or two ripping it off their head more than once.
Here is how we build ours!
The best flowers for a flower crown
The rule is simple: sturdy, dries well, strong stem. Anything that wilts quickly or snaps under tape will let you down halfway through the day.
Strip off leaves and extra foliage before you start. It helps everything sit tight against the tape.
These work beautifully:
| Statice | Gomphrena | Lisianthus |
| Asters | Craspedia | Waxflower |
| Celosia | Ageratum | Marigolds |
| Eryngium | Dianthus | Zinnias |
| Ranunculus | Strawflowers | Ornamental Grasses |
| Centaurea | Scabiosa | Solidago |
| Hypericum | Sedum | Feverfew |
Eryngium deserves a mention. It can be prickly to work with, but it lasts, so I put up with it!
These I would avoid:
| Daucus (Dara) | Nigella | Cosmos |
| Dill | Yarrow | Mint |
| Calendula | Orlaya | Campanula |
| Snapdragons | Hydrangeas | Foxglove |
| Sunflowers | Chamomile | Salvia |
Most of these are too soft, too thirsty or too heavy. Lovely in a bouquet, wrong on someone's head for eight hours.
Would you rather make one with us?
We run hands-on crown and wreath workshops through the year, with the flowers, wire and tape laid out and someone on hand when a stem refuses to behave.
What You Will Need
Recommended Recipes: For the flowers these are counted as 1-2 inch stems cut off from single stems of flowers. (I get at least 8-10, 1 inch stems from one stem of statice cut from the field or wholesale).
- Length of wire: 24 inches
- Roll of Floral Tape (Find the Tape here!)
- 10 Craspedia Stems (Focal Flower)
- 10 Mini Carnations (Focal Flower)
- 10 Lisianthus (Focal Flower)
- 20 - 30 Stems of Statice (Filler Flower)
- 12 - 15 stems of Waxflower (Filler Flower)
- 12 - 15 stems of Monte Casino Aster (Filler Flower)
= 80 - 90 stems of Flowers for a FULL Flower Crown
If you're looking for a crown that only goes to the customers ears, then cut this number in half. For toddlers and kids crowns, I would do 30-50 stems, on a 12 inch length of wire.
How to Build a Crown, Step by Step
Materials:
- 20 Gauge Green Wire (Or color of your choosing we like to use green to help blend the stems and tape together.
- Floral life tape (this tape is wax coated and stretchy so it's easy to maneuver)
- Flowers!
Let’s go step by step together…
Step 1: Make your loops
When you start, make a loop in the end of your wire for your ribbon. I make a loop by going around my finger, and leaving enough wire to wrap the excess around the bottom to lock it like a bread tie. Then I add floral tape around it to tightly secure the bottom of the loop so it doesn’t come undone. Do this on each end to make sure you don't run out of space.
Step 2: Wrap two or three rounds of tape alone
With tape alone starting to wrap on one end of the crown, make 2-3 rounds with just tape and then make your first wrap with flowers in it.
Step Three: Start adding flowers
Around the wire, take 3-4 stems of flowers (mixed: statice, mini carn, waxflower) and wrap the stems in a pattern with the tape around it tightly. Continue with your pattern down the length of the wire until you hit the bottom of your second loop.
Step Four: Finish the end
Finishing it off! Now, the end of your crown can get a little tight. Make sure you cut the end of your flower stems and NOT your wire, then you loose your loop! Take the waxy floral tape and wrap the tape around the stems until you have gotten to the end and the tape is not loose or coming undone.
Step Five: Ribbon, then check for gaps
Take your ribbon through the ends and viola! You have a crown! When you put it on, make sure you don’t have any open holes, or awkward spots that need more flowers. If you do, then take some floral glue and add in the flowers you need in the holes to cover up what you need.
Not the making type? We build crowns to order, fresh from the farm!
Give it a go!
Take your time and practice makes perfect! Tag us in your creations @wildlynativeflowerfarm on instagram!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best flowers for a flower crown?
Sturdy flowers that dry well and have strong stems. Statice, gomphrena, lisianthus, craspedia, waxflower, celosia, strawflowers and scabiosa are all reliable. Avoid anything soft, thirsty or heavy: cosmos, nigella, dill, mint, hydrangeas, sunflowers, snapdragons and foxglove all struggle once wired and taped.
How many flowers do you need for a flower crown?
Around 80 to 90 stems cut to 1 to 2 inches for a full adult crown on 24 inch wire. Halve that for a crown reaching only to the ears, and use 30 to 50 pieces on 12 inch wire for children.
What materials do you need to make a flower crown?
20 gauge floral wire, waxed floral tape, ribbon for the ties, floral glue for filling gaps, and your flowers cut into short pieces.
What wire is best for a flower crown?
20 gauge is the right balance of holding its shape and still being bendable. Green blends into the stems and tape better than other colours.
What tape do you use for flower crowns?
Waxed floral tape. The wax makes it stretchy and easier to wrap tightly, and it grips stems in a way plain tape does not.
