It's always a good day for a flower crown

A simple how-to that anyone can do

I’ve been immersed in all things Beltane for more than a week now, creating what I wanted to share with the wonderful humans joining me for A Moment with the Seasons and yet I felt like I greeted it afresh this morning when I stepped out barefoot with my tea onto the dewy grass to greet the Beltane dawn.

With the kids off to school, the bluebell woods were calling. I would have said previously ‘I’m not sure there’s anything more magical than a woodland in full bluebell haze’.

I found today there is. A woodland in full bluebell haze on Beltane / May Day morning = magic off the charts.

While hypnotised by the sea of blue (and possibly a mischevious fairy?) I thought: ‘it’s a day for a flower crown’.

Why don’t we wear flower crowns more often?

I think I know. Search ‘flower crowns’ on pinterest and you’ll find many (decidedly wedding-worthy) beauties most of us non-florists haven’t a hope of recreating without careful instruction and large amounts of florist wire.

And here I am with the easiest and (in my humble opinion) loveliest flower crown method, a beloved kindergarten teacher taught me, up my sleeve which I haven’t yet shared.

It’s time to fix that. We all need more flower crowns in our lives!

How to make a simple flower crown using raffia

This simple method is perfect for adults and children alike.

I’ve made them with my retreat groups and sat around campfires wearing them. I’ve taught making them at festivals. I’ve made them with my kids in the garden.

They’re so easy and everyone loves them.

You’ll need:

• A ‘wodge’ of raffia (I use natural but I’ve also added the odd strand of colour before)

• Access to some flowers you can pick

That’s it!

How to make your flower crown

• About 6-10 inches from the end tie your wodge of raffia in a knot.

I know I’m being very unscientific about the amount here but you can be. You want to be able to easily wrap your thumb and finger around it and you want to have enough strands held together in your ‘wodge’ that you can easily split them in 3 and achieve a simple plait

• Leaving your 6-10 inch tail untouched, split the longer end of your raffia into 3 sections

• Secure your tail somehow - somebody holding it, a clipboard or stand something on top of it on a table - then begin plaiting

• Plait until the plaited part will reach all the way around your head

• Tie the end of the plait off (hopefully you have a tail left at this end too)

• Ask someone to knot the two tails together at the back of your head

• You might want to trim the tails to a similar length but it’s nice for the ends to be a bit straggly so use your judgement

• Gather some flowers taking care to pick them with a decent amount of stem

Almost any flowers will do - in my garden just now I have tons of forget-me-nots, daisies and dandelions which would look amazing together. Any smallish flowers which won’t prickle your head when the crown is worn will be lovely. Leaves too. I’ve made versions of these with groups using Autumn leaves. They were beautiful.

• Gently tease the plait to create tiny openings you can poke the flowers through and do so all the way round - let yourself play with what looks lovely to you.

• Wear your completed flower crown and feel the joy!

As I walked back from the woods with flower crowns on my mind I pondered that it’s be too long since I made these and we really don’t have enough flower crowns in our lives.

Perfect for Beltane (May Day), the Summer Solstice (aka Litha) and other festivals. Beautiful for women’s circles, blessingways, with children or as a gorgeous craft to do with friends.

I’d love to hear if you make one! Comment below or tag me on insta (@mother_nurture_and_wild)

Beltane blessings to you! x

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If you’re curious to know more about the Wheel of the Year journey I’m offering here on Substack, you can read all about it (feel like I need to say that in a cockney accent) here: