Originally published November 2022. Updated October 2026 with a new garden-grown version.
There’s a point every October when the garden starts quietly waving the white flag. The zinnias are done, the tomatoes are done, and I’m out there in a sweater pretending I’m not counting down to the first hard frost.
But the herbs? The herbs are still hanging on. The sage is big and velvety, the thyme and oregano are spilling over the edges of the bed, and the lavender has a few last purple spikes. So instead of letting all of it get flattened by the first freeze, I cut it and made a fresh herb swag.
If you’ve been here a while, you might remember the first herb swag I made back in 2022. That one came straight from the produce aisle, and it’s still one of my most-pinned projects. This year’s garden version is longer, fuller, and packed with five different herbs, finished with a cluster of dried red chili peppers at the top.
So in this tutorial I’m sharing both: how to make an herb swag from your garden, and how to make one from the grocery store when you need a handmade hostess gift by 6 o’clock tonight. Same braided raffia base, same simple steps, two very different shopping trips (one of them is just a walk out the back door).
Hi, I’m Jennifer. To me, home is an ongoing practice in intentional living. Through the rhythms of the New England year, I look for ways to make our spaces not only beautiful, but truly nurturing. I’m so glad you’re here to explore it with me.
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Straight Out Of The Garden Herb Swag
As you will see, both versions of herb swags follow the same basic steps, but I made the garden version much longer than the grocery store version. The great part of this project is you can customize it to how long you want yours to be!
What You’ll Need
- Fresh herbs (I used tarragon, sage, oregano, thyme, and lavender)
- Dried red chili peppers
- Raffia
- Paddle or spool of green floral wire
- Garden snips or pruners
- A sturdy bottle or hook (for making the hanging loop)
The Best Herbs To Use
The trick is choosing herbs with some backbone. Woody, sturdy herbs hold their shape as they dry, so your swag still looks pretty weeks later.
- Great choices: sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, & lavender. These all dry beautifully right on the swag.
- Worth trying: tarragon. It adds a lovely soft, feathery texture. I used it on my herb wreath this summer and loved how it dried down.
- Skip these: soft, tender herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, and dill. They wilt fast and turn dark instead of drying nicely.
The silvery herbs (sage and lavender) are what make the garden version feel so special. Pairing them with the deep green thyme and oregano gives you contrast without having to buy a single thing.
Garden Swag: Step-by-Step
1. Cut Your Herbs
Head out to the garden on a dry day, and snip stems of garden herbs that look healthy. The longer the stem you leave, the easier it is to bundle and wire onto the swag. Cut more than you think you need, because the bundles get skimpy fast once you start layering.
Give everything a gentle shake to knock off any bugs or debris. I also plucked a few brown or damaged leaves off the herbs
2. Make The Raffia Braid
For this swag, I used 3 of the wrapped bundles of raffia that come in the bags from Hobby Lobby. Unwrap them and pull the strands out straight so they’re roughly even. Fair warning: this step can get a little bit messy as you pull and straighten out the raffia.
Next, fold the top few inches of raffia over to form a hanging loop, and secure it by wrapping it with a length of floral wire.
To make braiding simpler, hang the loop on something sturdy. I used the hook on my potting bench, and a doorknob or cabinet pull works too. Divide the raffia into three sections and do a simple braid, then tie off the bottom with a piece of raffia or floral wire.
My braid ended up about 30 inches long, but you can make yours any length you like. Just stop braiding when it hits the length you want
3. Wire The Herbs To The Braid
Start at the bottom of the braid and work your way up, overlapping each bundle so it covers the wire on the one below.
The first herb bundle I added was the feathery tarragon. I placed it so the end of the raffia was showing.
Use a paddle or spool of floral wire as you are adding your herbs and leave it uncut until the end. Just wrap around your bundle and pull to tighten, then add the next bundle and do the same thing.
Then the silvery sage bundle. The contrast in the texture between the tarragon and sage looks lovely.
Working up the raffia braid I added the bundle of oregano followed by the thyme. The thyme works better above the oregano because the leaves are smaller and more delicate.
4. Add The Chili Peppers
I strung the dried chilis right onto floral wire, the same wire I used to secure the herbs.
- Cut a length of floral wire and thread the dried chilis onto it, one after another, until you have a nice full cluster.
- Fold the wire up into a U shape so the chilis bunch together.
- Twist the two ends of the wire together to close the cluster.
- I added a small clump of thyme to cover the raffia before adding the pepper cluster-I tried just adding the peppers and the raffia was showing
- Use those twisted ends to wire the whole chili bundle to the top of the swag, covering where the last herb bundle was attached.
Just wash your hands after handling the peppers (and definitely before you touch your eyes).
5. Finishing The Top
I finished off the swag with a very simple bow made out of raffia at the top just under the hanging loop. This hid the floral wire securing the loop together.
No Garden? Make It From The Grocery Store
This is how my very first herb swag happened, and it’s still my favorite last-minute hostess gift. You know the moment: you’re at the store on your way to a holiday party, and the only option is that foil-wrapped poinsettia by the register. Head to the produce section instead.
Most grocery stores sell fresh herbs in little plastic clamshells near the bagged salads. I found a poultry blend with sage, rosemary, and thyme, and three packs made a nice long swag. Two packs are plenty for a smaller one.
For color, grab a handful of fresh red Thai chili peppers from the same department.
The steps are the same as the garden version: bundle each herb with floral wire, braid your raffia, and wire the bundles on from the bottom up. With store-bought herbs, I like the woody rosemary at the bottom, thyme in the middle, and sage near the top.
What You’ll Need
- Fresh herbs: Sage, rosemary, thyme
- Dried red chili peppers
- Raffia
- Paddle or spool of green floral wire
- Garden snips or pruners
- A sturdy bottle, knob, or hook (for making the hanging loop)
What is a hostess gift anyway???
A hostess gift is a small gesture that you give to your hostess as a thank you for the invitation. Traditionally it is something that she/he can use in the kitchen or for entertaining purposes.
Popular gift ideas are flowers, plants, wine, candles, a box of candy, kitchen towels, pretty hand soap or lotion, and specialty foods like jellies or infused oils.
Some of my favorite gifts to bring are my favorite locally-made candles, New Hampshire maple syrup or honey, and baking mixes or jams from Stonewall Kitchen (also local to me).
Making The Grocery Store Herb Swag
The process is pretty much the same as the one we just made out in the garden but this one is smaller and uses just 3 herbs. This is such a lovely idea for any holiday parties where you want to bring a handmade hostess gift; I think they are the best kind.
1. Bundle The Herbs
My first step was to separate the herbs into piles. Oh my gosh, my studio smelled so good while I was making this project!!
Next, I gathered one of the herb bundles and my paddle of floral wire and wrapped the wire around the ends of the herbs.
Make sure to secure it tightly, as the herbs will shrink as they dry out over the next couple of weeks.
2. Make The Raffia Braid
Once my three herb bundles were ready, I needed something to attach them to. Raffia was the perfect choice. It’s a natural material like the herbs, and it’s strong enough to hold all those bundles.
The Dollar Tree (or any dollar store) is a great place to pick up raffia. Their packs come with 3 bundles, and I used 2 of them for this braid. Otherwise, you can find it at the craft stores.
I used 2 of the small bundles from the dollar store pack for my raffia braid. After straightening out the strands, I wrapped the raffia around the neck of a bottle to form a loop, keeping the ends even. Then I tied a simple knot to create the hanging loop.
3. Attach The Herbs
Starting at the bottom of the braid, I attached each herb bundle with floral wire. The woody rosemary looked best at the bottom, so it went on first. I added the thyme in the middle, then finished with the sage at the top.
4. Add Chili Peppers
If you’d like to keep your herb swag all green, feel free to skip this step. I love the pop of color and the shiny, smooth texture the red chili peppers add!
To attach them, I put a drop of hot glue on the back of each pepper and pressed it onto the top of the raffia braid.
5. Finishing Touches
To finish off the swag, I tied a raffia bow at the top. The natural texture of the raffia works perfectly with the fresh herbs and peppers.
Once it was hanging, I also strung on a couple of dried orange slices from the big batch I’d already made for holiday decorating. They add a little extra warmth and color.
Tips For The Best Herb Swags
- If sourcing from a garden be sure to cut on a dry day. Wet herbs are more likely to mold than dry.
- Hang it somewhere dry with good air flow. Skip the spot right over the stove or a steamy sink.
- Keep it out of strong direct sun if you want the greens to stay greener as they dry.
- Go long and full. More bundles, overlapped closely, looks lush instead of sparse once everything shrinks.
- Mix textures and colors. Silvery sage and lavender next to dark green thyme and oregano is what makes it pop.
Will It Dry Out?
Yes, and that’s part of the charm. Over the next few weeks the herbs dry right on the swag and turn a softer, more muted green. The dried herbs are still usable in the kitchen, so you can snip a little thyme or sage right off the swag for soups and roasts.
Herb Swag FAQ
Now It’s Your Turn!
I love that one simple project can work two ways: a way to save the last of the garden before frost, and a handmade gift you can pull together on the way to a party. Either way, your kitchen is going to smell incredible.
More garden-to-home projects you’ll love:
- DIY Fall Door Swag: A Foraged & Free Wreath Alternative
- What to Do with Your Garden at the End of the Season
- Dried Orange Slice Ornaments
- Crafting with Nature: 25 DIY Projects Using Flowers and Botanicals
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
DIY Fresh Herb Swag
Here is an easy idea for a hostess gift or just for your own home! The best part is that you can pick up all the supplies at the grocery store!
Materials
- Fresh Herbs (3 different herbs)
- Small Red Chili Peppers
- Raffia
- Floral Wire
Instructions
- For this herb swag you will want at least 3 different herbs. I used rosemary, sage, and thyme. Lavender, bay, or oregano are also good choices.
- Separate the herbs into 3 piles
- Use floral wire to tightly wrap around the end of each of the herb bundles.
- Grab a thick handful of raffia.
- Use a sturdy bottle and wrap the raffia around the neck. Tie a common knot to make a hanging loop for the herb swag.
- Braid the rest of the raffia, securing the end with a piece of raffia or floral wire.
- Wire the 3 herb bundles to the raffia braid starting at the bottom and overlapping the herbs as you work your way up.
- Hot glue the red peppers to the top of the raffia braid, overlapping to create a bundling effect.
- Tie a raffia bow at the top of the herb swag.
- The herbs will naturally start to dry out over the next few weeks.
Notes
I used the fresh herbs that you find in plastic packages in the produce dept. For my swag, I used a poultry mix that already had the 3 herbs. I used 3 packages to create this long swag.
JENNIFER,
GOING TO MAKE THIS. GREAT IDEA. KEEP THEM COMING SWEETIE.
Thanks, Mary!! I’ll try!!
Jennifer – I love this. It is so creative and out of the ordinary. I have an event in a few weeks and I think this would make THE PERFECT HOSTESS GIFT. Thanks for the inspriation!
Thanks, Regina!!
I know I say it all the time but I love everything you do! I’m so glad we’re friends!!!!
Me too!!
What a cute idea my creative friend!
Thanks, Kimmy!!
Wowza, this is such a brilliant idea! love it. I am so glad we are doing this together! I also love the layout of your blog. Is this a 360 design? I am switching over in January.
It’s by 17th Avenue and it’s the Clover theme. It’s built on the Genesis framework. It does lots of cool things and they have a great support team and extensive tutorials.