A wreath for every door

Helen Babbs finds out how a festive evening with friends became a thriving seasonal business

- Helen Babbs

At the start of December, the old tinroofed, stone cart shed on Jasmine Jackson's farm in the Scottish borders changes into an enchanted festive workshop. Long garlands of pine boughs and holly drape along the open archways of the front wall, while twinkling fairy lights wind round the wooden beams overhead. Inside, there's a gentle smell from the hay bales stacked back against the walls to leave a clear central space, where a long "table" of bales is heaped with armfuls of evergreens. Straw wreath rings are laid out between the piles, along with buckets of pinecones, and rolls of brightly coloured festive ribbons.

EVENING WITH FRIENDS

"Christmas is absolutely my favourite time of year," enthuses Jasmine. "Even as a child, the highlight was going out to collect greenery and pine cones and such, then coming home to arrange them into candle wreaths and table centre pieces." When she moved to the farm with its large holly tree in the garden, long field hedges and adjoining woodlands five years ago, Jasmine was in her element. "I invited some friends over and said, 'Let's all make wreaths for our front doors'. We had a wonderful time, even if the kitchen floor did get covered in pine needles and holly leaves that the children then trod everywhere!"

GOING INTO BUSINESS