Paper Flowers Workshop: Poinsettias

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is hosting a paper flowers workshop on Saturday 28 November, where you'll spend the session making a poinsettia from Italian crepe paper. It's led by artist Jen O'Flaherty, and the whole thing is designed for beginners, so you don't need any prior experience to get stuck in. By the end, you'll walk away with your own handcrafted bloom, which works as a bit of Christmas décor for your home or as a handmade gift for someone else.

The venue itself is a good fit for the subject. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh started back in the 17th century as a physic garden and has grown into four gardens with a huge living plant collection. It's a world-renowned centre for plant science and education, and it's been growing and studying plants for more than 330 years under the mission 'exploring and explaining the world of plants for a better future'. The workshop takes place at 20A Inverleith Row, Stockbridge and Canonmills, EH3 5LR.

It's a hands-on session, so you'll be doing the work yourself rather than just watching. The focus is on Italian crepe paper, which is a favourite for these kinds of projects because it's so malleable—you can stretch and shape it to get the petals looking right. Since it's a beginner-friendly class, it's as much about picking up the technique as it is about the finished flower. The session is restricted to adults aged 16 and over, so it's a grown-up afternoon of making.

Places are £60, or £54 for members, and all the materials are included in the price, so you don't need to bring your own supplies. The workshop is on Saturday 28 November at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.