How to make a Winter Pomander

At this time of year we’re all about thinking how we can make our homes more festive. Gemma of Planet Flowers shares how to make a Winter Pomander. Perfect for even the most novice of novice florists. Follow these step-by-step instructions and you’ll be on your way to your home being ready for the season…

“A little Christmas pomander is such a cute design. They can be made any size and used for so many different ways to decorate home or weddings at Christmas time. Hanging on chairs sides or on door knobs or even for little (or big ones!) to carry down the aisle rather than a traditional bouquet. They are super easy to make and at this time of year you can easily forage your garden to fill it with home grown delights!

Apart from some botanical goodies there are only five tools of the trade you will need –

– Floral foam ball.
– Heavy gauge florist wire.
– Oasis tape.
– Ribbon.
– Scissors or Clippers whichever you prefer.

All of these things are available in good craft shops or online.

“Everything starts with good preparation – if you prepare your oasis well then all will be well in the world! I have used a 12cm foam ball for fresh flowers. These are available in many sizes from 6cm – 30cm, if you are making a pomander for a little one to carry then use only a 6 or 9 cm so that it is not too heavy for them.

“Take the oasis tape and wrap it fully around the dry foam ball, once one way and then the other so that you end up with a crossed over part of tape at the bottom and the top. Make sure it’s as tight as possible.

“Using a sharp pair of scissor cut around 40cm of your chosen ribbon. It’s important to pick a ribbon thick enough for your pomander. If you are using a 12cm ball like I am then use at least a 2.5cm ribbon so that it will hold the weight and also look proportionate to the size of the finished arrangement.

“I have gone for a lush bottle green double sided satin but really the choice is yours and it is a great way to accent your design. Fold the ribbon in half and at the two ends tightly bind the wire around the base leaving some wire left – so you should end up with a loop of ribbon.

“Use the left over part of the wire at the end of the ribbon like a needle and thread it under the tape on one end of the floral foam. Hook the wire up and twist it around itself. Make sure it’s as tight as you can and that it feels secure – if this part is done correctly then you should have no problems later on with hanging the pomander.

“Now the fun part! Flowers! Fill up a bucket or the sink with water and place the foam in the water. It’s important not to force the foam under the water let it soak on its own so that it has taken water in to the middle completely. While the ball is soaking you can start prepping your flowers and greenery.

“I love lots of textures in arrangements and the smell of Christmas so I went with lots of winter foliage like spruce, holly, ivy, eucalyptus then a touch of berry and finally one of my winter faves skimmia.

“Prepare your flowers and greenery to make it easier for you when handling the design. It’s much easier if everything is cut to size and at hand rather than having to be placing the pomander down to cut things as you go.

“Once the foam has sunk to the bottom of the sink or bucket you will know it is fully soaked and ready to start filling it with your greenery and flowers. There really are no rules on this – I wanted to make quite a traditional pomander so I have mixed everything through keeping it quite natural but you can make it any way you fancy.

“As the floral foam is wet it means adding a flower into the mix is no problem at all. Your greenery should last through the festive season so you can you just swap anything that looks tired with fresh and re-oak the foam keeping the greenery fresh.”

Oooh how fab is this guide? Who else is inspired to make a winter pomander or two? Remember too that Planet Flowers have a pop-up shop at the Hopetoun Christmas Shopping Fair, should you want to add more festive magic to your home. Alie x