A plain wreath can serve as the base for a living wreath. Seen here, staples and other hooks are used to keep items like ivy in place. Adding new decorations is a simple and they're easy to change for each season or occasion.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Every time Tish Llaneza makes a "living wreath," she's reminded of similar wreaths the Amish made near her childhood home in Pennsylvania.

"That was decades ago and these wreaths are still fashionable and fun," says Llaneza, owner of Countryside Gardens in Hampton, Va.

A living wreath is just that — a wreath that continues to grow because it's fashioned from real plants with roots that thrive in potting soil encased in a wire frame. You can use them indoors or outdoors, based on the plants you choose, and you can embellish them with decorations to suit the seasons and holidays.

Years ago, living wreaths were laborious and messy to make because you had to fill a two-piece wire frame with potting soil, then cover it with decorative sphagnum moss. Today, you can purchase an 18-inch wire frame prefilled with soil and already covered with moss for $30.99. That way, all you do is use scissors to poke small holes in the frame so you can insert whatever plant plugs you choose to grow.

For Christmas, delicate ivy such as Needlepoint looks festive and cheery. Add a red bow and some red berry-clustered floral picks and you have a front-door decoration. Lay the same wreath on the top of a table and you have an instant centerpiece — candles can be added for flair that flickers.The same wreath and red embellishments work for Valentine's Day. Remove those and add something that says spring and Easter. Just let your imagination flow — you have many options at your fingertips.If you like a good-smelling wreath, Llaneza recommends using something like the herb pennyroyal."It's one of my favorites because it smells so fresh," says Llaneza. She also likes scented mints such as orange and peppermint.For a hot spot outdoors, create a living wreath using sun-loving succulents such as sedums and hens-and-chicks.For cool-weather color, a living wreath can be planted with flowering violas or primroses. During summer, use miniature impatiens.

Maintenance on a living wreath is simple. Add a teaspoon of liquid fertilizer to water in something shallow like a birdbath and soak the wreath for an hour — please, clean the birdbath before reusing it for your feathered friends. You can also just set the wreath on the ground and use a hose to thoroughly water it.How many plant plugs you use depends on your patience level. Three ivy plugs, 39 cents each, will cover a wreath in a summer. Llaneza likes to use 20 ivy plugs to get quick coverage."That way, you get an instant wreath you can enjoy right away," she says.

A living wreath like this one can be created with ivy and decorated to reflect different seasons and occasions throughout the year. In addition to its beauty, the living wreath saves storage space by eliminating the need for multiple wreaths.