I’ve always loved the symbolism of the Tree of Life—growth, strength, and connection. So when I stumbled on a coil of nautical rope at the thrift store I knew exactly what to make: a 3D wreath that blends rustic texture with garden charm.
The Perfect Garden Wreath: 3D Tree of Life
I’ll admit it: I’m obsessed with making wreaths. And today, my wreath idea was facilitated by a trip to an unlikely place hunt for supplies: the thrift store! On a recent trip, I stumbled on two giant bags of nautical craft rope (destined for someone’s forgotten project) and instantly saw their potential—not just for this ‘Tree of Life’ wreath, but it’s a handy supply to have in your craft stash!
For this wreath, that salvaged rope became everything: twisted branches, frayed roots, and a trunk with so much rustic character, it looks like it’s been growing on my garden fence for years. Paired with moss and foraged treasures, it’s a sculptural piece to hang in my garden this year.
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What You Will Need
The best part about this Tree of Life wreath? You only need a few basic supplies—and chances are, you might already have some lying around! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Wire wreath frame (I used 14″, but any size works)
- Nautical rope (about 87 feet—but don’t worry, exact measurements aren’t crucial)
- Hot glue gun (your trusty crafting sidekick)
- Embellishments (this is where you can get creative! I used moss for leaves, plus broken shells, mini pinecones, and pebbles for the ‘ground.’)
Not into foraging? No problem! Swap moss for artificial greenery, skip the ground decor entirely, or personalize it with your own twist. The beauty of this project is how adaptable it is!
Materials for this Project
- Wire Wreath Frame (Michael’s or Dollar Tree)
- 1/4-in Nautical Rope ( or Dollar Tree)
- Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
- Scissors
- Moss
- Pebbles, shells, mini pinecones
How to Make Your 3D Rope Tree of Life Wreath
Step 1: Wrap the Wire Frame
Let’s begin by transforming that plain wire frame first for the base of this wreath. Take your nautical rope and start wrapping it snugly around the frame, keeping each loop tight against the previous one. We want every inch covered with no gaps peeking through! As you work your way around, gently push the rope loops together to create a seamless, uniform look.
- Secure the rope: Hot-glue the end of your nautical rope to the back of the wire frame. If you are using Dollar Tree rope packs like I did I glued the end to the back and started the next pack in the same spot securing the new rope to the piece next to it.
- Wrap tightly: Wind the rope around the frame, adding a dab of glue every few inches to keep it in place(I dabbed glue between ropes on the backside of the wreath)
- Trim & glue the end: Once the frame is fully covered, snip the rope and secure the final end with glue.
Working with Dollar Tree rope packs? Here’s my seamless joining method:
- Secure the first pack: Glue the starting end to the back of your frame.
- When you reach the end of a pack, glue that final piece in place on the back.
- Start your next pack right where the last one ended – overlap them by 1″ and glue both the new rope’s end and its side to the previous piece.
- Continue wrapping, keeping tension consistent for a smooth transition.
Step 2: Create the Tree’s Branches
Cut rope strands: Snip five lengths of the nautical rope about double the length of the wreath frame you are using. The extra length is important for the next step of making the tree branches, twisting the trunk, and fraying the roots.
Why extra length?
- Let you adjust branches freely
- Trimming excess is easier than adding more
- Gives you room to fray the ends for roots
- Form the canopy: Unwrap the ends of the first strand of rope at the ends to form branches. Fan the ends out and secure the ends to the back of the wreath with hot glue.
- Continue with the other 4 pieces of roping, arranging the branches across the top half of the wreath.
Step 3: Build the Trunk & Roots
Twist the trunk: Gather all five strands below the branches and twist them tightly together. I had to do this a couple of times to get the twist right. Use hot glue to secure the tree trunk to the front of the wreath in the center bottom.
Fray the ends: Untwist the ends of each rope strand to create wild, wispy roots.
Spread the “roots” across the bottom half of the wreath and hot glue them to the back of the wreath.
Not happy with your roots? No problem!
If you don’t like the way your roots look, don’t worry, the hot glue is forgiving, and you can peel off a freshly glued strand and reposition it while it’s still warm.
Step 4: Add Moss & Embellishments
Now for the fun part (or what I thought was really fun!) decorating the tree of life wreath and bringing it to life! There are 2 mini steps: the tree canopy & the ground.
Tree Canopy
My sweet friend Tammy (White Lilac Farmhouse blog) send me a box of the coolest moss from her Maryland yard. I’ve been waiting for the perfect project to use it, and this one is it!
I hot glued small clumps of the moss across the top of the wreath where the branches are.
For your wreath’s foliage, you have lots of lovely options!
- Mixed moss (perfect for a natural, organic look)
- Dried greenery (great for structured leaves)
- Floral accents (I think this would be so cute!)
- Combination of greenery & small flowers
Ground
Decorate the “ground” around the roots of the tree with small natural items like mini pinecones, pebbles, or shells.
I’m using a combo of small broken shell pieces, black pebbles, and mini pinecones.
Step 5: Hang Your Wreath!
Creating a Simple Hanger:
- Cut a 6″ piece of twine
- Thread it horizontally under 2-3 wrapped ropes on the back center of the wreath.
- Tie the ends together to form a small loop—just big enough to fit over a hook or nail.
- Style it: I hung mine on my garden fence, but this wreath would also shine on a front door or porch wall.
- Weatherproofing: If you’re using it outdoors, consider a light spray of clear UV-resistant sealant (like Krylon)
Final Thoughts: A Wreath with Roots (and Stories!)
This 3D Tree of Life wreath has quickly become one of my favorite garden projects. Not just for its rustic charm, but because it perfectly represents my love for creating unique decorations from thrifted finds. There’s something so satisfying about turning forgotten materials (like that bargain-bin nautical rope!) into one-of-a-kind pieces that add personality to my garden.
Whether you’re a thrift-store treasure hunter like me or just love making things with your own hands, this project proves you don’t need fancy supplies to create something beautiful. Nature-inspired, budget-friendly, and full of texture—what’s not to love?
Do you want to see more wreaths?? Check out the 40+ DIY Wreaths that I’ve made!
Now it’s your turn!
- Tag me [@CottageOnBunkerHill on Facebook and @cottage_on_bunker_hill on Instagram] if you make one—I’d love to see your thrifted spin on it!
- Pin this for later, or share it with a fellow DIY enthusiast.
- P.S. More thrifty garden decor ideas are coming soon… including how I transformed the other goodies from that thrift haul!
Happy crafting (and thrifting!), kindred spirits!
See your projects featured! If you are inspired by this or any of my other DIY projects I would love to see them and add you to the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Send a photo to me at jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
xo, Jennifer
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What an amazing project, you are so clever and creative! I also love the tree of life motif, and actually bought a tree of life windchime on our New England trip last fall. I also have a large framed art piece with the tree and a poem from a trip years ago, I happen to have a huge (like bigger than a gallon jug) spool of jute rope from a garage sale many years ago (I think I paid less than a dollar) that has been used for a few projects, including a cat scratching post that has to be occasionally “recovered”! I wonder how this idea would work with a grapevine or twig wreath base, and only using the rope for the tree part? I have several old wreaths in my stash that could be revamped. I’ll share if I get one done!
I think that would look so cool!! Yes, send me the pic if you make one please!!!
The Tree of Life has always been a special favorite of mine. Your wreath came out just lovely! The directions are now in my “to do” pile! Thank you!
Thanks so much Nancy!! I’ve had this idea on my to-do list since last year but when I found the big bags of rope when I was thrifting I took it as a sign!
Welp, guess I’m picking up rope when I’m in town next week 😁 Thanks for the detailed tutorial!
Yes, make one! I think it looks so cool!
Welp, guess I’m buying rope next week when I’m in town 😁 Thanks for the detailed tutorial!
This wreath is so unique and stunning. I love the organic look of it. You are so talented and creative.
Your moss made the wreath! I’m jealous, it’s so cool compared to my NH moss!