LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath review
If decking the halls with LEGO bricks sounds like your kind of holiday tradition, then the latest LEGO Wreath is bound to light up your festive spirit – minus the pine needles on the floor.
As the nights begin to draw in and summer becomes an all-too-distant memory, what better way to get in the festive mood than by building a LEGO Wreath? The LEGO Group has ventured into wreath territory before, most recently with 2020’s 40426 Christmas Wreath 2-in-1, but 10340 Wreath doubles the piece count, offering a far more intricate and realistic design adorned with charming pinecones, printed orange slices, and cinnamon sticks that look so real you can almost smell Christmas just by looking at the box.
Release: October 1, 2024 Price: £89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 Pieces: 1,194 Minifigures: 0 LEGO: Order now
Deck the halls
Inside the box for 10340 Wreath are 1,194 pieces spread across nine bags, which come together to form a fairly substantial and detailed festive wreath. One surprising twist is that it’s actually a 2-in-1 model, even though the LEGO Group hasn’t made a big deal about it. You can build the wreath to hang on your door, or if you’re feeling fancy, stretch it out to create a beautiful table centerpiece. Either way, both builds start with the same base structure, made from four sub-assemblies built using the first four bags. This flexible design is a smart move from the design team, adding extra value and variety to the model.
Once the base is ready, the real fun begins, building up the wreath’s festive details. Palm tree elements (including an exclusive sand-green recolour), brand new dark green and olive green fig leaves, and plant stems in various shades of green come together to mimic pine needles, leaves and foliage. These parts are cleverly layered to create a rich, textured wreath that looks incredibly lifelike. The design’s genius lies in its simplicity: by repeating sub-assemblies and adding layer upon layer, you build a wreath with depth and detail, without it feeling monotonous.
Festive, fiddly fun
As you progress, you’ll notice that while the build is detailed, it’s not overly complicated. Sure, there are plenty of sub-assemblies to piece together, but none are too intricate – even the Grinch wouldn’t get annoyed by this experience.
Things do get a bit trickier however as the wreath grows, especially when you’re adding those final layers of foliage. Visibility becomes a bit challenging, and finding the right spots for each sub-assembly can require some patience. The key here is to assemble first, then adjust and finesse everything into place once you’re done. It’s not too challenging though and anyway, who doesn’t love a little festive fidgeting?
The decorative details really bring the wreath to life. The printed orange slices (made from transparent orange dishes) and pinecones are particularly noteworthy. The pinecones are an example of the LEGO Group’s design creativity at its best – who knew minifigure flat caps could double as pinecone pieces? These small but clever touches make the build feel unique and rewarding, and help the model stand head and shoulders over what has come before. Small bunches of berries complete the look, and the set comes with berries in red, white and blue allowing you to customise the look to your taste.
Once fully assembled, the wreath feels substantial, with three layers of foliage giving it a thick, lush appearance. From a distance, you might even mistake it for a real wreath, especially thanks to the matte finish on the elements, which adds to the realistic vibe. The colours – rich greens and pops of festive red and orange – are perfect for the holiday season, and the wreath’s final form will definitely add a touch of Christmas magic to any room.
There’s plenty to love about this set. The building process is enjoyable and satisfying, with just the right balance of repetition and variety to keep things interesting. The final model is impressively detailed and realistic, a definite step up from previous LEGO wreath sets, and the fact that you can choose between a traditional wreath or a table centrepiece adds a layer of versatility that’s a nice bonus. It should also be noted how surprisingly quick it is to switch between the two models (experienced builders could probably rebuild the centrepiece in under half an hour).
Bah humbug
However, there is one thorn among the roses, or in this case, the pine needles, and that’s the price. For a LEGO set that doesn’t carry a big name IP it does feel a little steep. Yes, the piece count is high, but many of those pieces are larger elements like palm leaves (which somewhat explains the inflated price). While it’s always fantastic to get new elements, perhaps the addition of a completely new holly leaf piece too would not only have helped to justify the price tag, but would have added another element of exclusivity and aesthetic appeal to the final model. As enjoyable as the build experience is, it is over fairly quickly, as the larger elements require less intricate construction.
But when you compare it to the cost of a real wreath, suddenly the price seems a tad more palatable. After all, this LEGO version lasts much longer, requires zero maintenance, and offers the joy of building, something you won’t get from a store-bought wreath. Plus, it’s a beautiful, festive decoration that will light up your home year after year.
A wreath is for life, not just for Christmas
LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath is a solid addition to the LEGO Group’s holiday line-up. It’s festive, detailed, and offers a fun build that’ll get you into the Christmas spirit. While the price might give you pause, the set’s versatility, beauty, and staying power make it a worthy holiday investment. It may not be perfect, but it’s definitely a wreath you’ll be proud to display – and who knows, it might even become a permanent fixture in your home no matter the season.
This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.
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Our honest opinion: A fantastically festive and realistic model that will fill any home with holiday cheer – just be ready to feel a little like Scrooge when you see the price tag.
How long does it take to build LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath?
Despite its scale and piece count, 10340 Wreath comes together fairly quickly. Experienced builders can expect to take around 90 minutes to two hours to complete the LEGO Botanical Collection set in a single configuration, with an additional 30 minutes or so to switch from wreath to table runner (or vice versa).
How many pieces are in LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath?
LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath is the largest LEGO wreath to date, with 1,194 pieces in the box.
How big is LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath?
LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath is a beautifully-constructed circle measuring 37cm tall and 37 wide.
How much does LEGO Botanical Collection 10340 Wreath cost?
This is really the one sticking point with 10340 Wreath: it’s on the fairly expensive side of things, retailing for £89.99 in the UK, $99.99 across North America and €99.99 in mainland Europe. The LEGO Botanical Collection set is available to pre-order now and ships from October 1.
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- I have more than 20 years in television production and photography and can finally put all that experience to good use by combining it with my number one passion in life, LEGO! I love all things brick-related, but the theme that really floats my boat is the original LEGO Pirates range. I currently have a LEGO wishlist that far outstretches my shelf space... and bank balance!
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Waiting for the wreath and poinsettia to arrive. Have the Christmas candle.
Hope there’s a light kit for the wreath soon.