Balsam Hill Branch Sample Kit becomes Christmas decoration

Balsam Hill’s Branch Sample Kit turns the preliminary step of choosing artificial greenery into a finished Christmas decoration. Rather than file away sample branches after examination, the kit’s contents—fir fronds in varying shades of green, dried red berries, bleached twigs and natural pine cones—become a composed hanging piece, suspended from cream rope finished with a jute bow.

What matters is restraint. The greenery radiates outward in a loose, generous shape, full enough to read as deliberate yet organic enough to avoid formal floristry. Red berries cluster in one area, bleached elements drape downward, and pale pine cones nestle among deep green fir needles, creating depth and a subtle play between warm and cool tones. The concept reframes sampling as practical generosity: a customer examining samples to choose between fir varieties or shades of green ends up with enough material to create something worth hanging. It transforms a preliminary step into a gift.

Balsam Hill was founded in 2006 by Tom Harman and Christan Yates on the principle that artificial Christmas trees and greenery could match natural materials in appearance while eliminating the practical drawbacks of fresh foliage. The Branch Sample Kit extends that philosophy into a discovery tool. Rather than asking customers to commit to a full garland without seeing how the needle texture and colour read in their own homes, the kit arrives with enough material to compose a complete arrangement and compare fir varieties side by side.

The fir needles retain the fine gradation and texture that distinguish convincing artificial foliage from obviously synthetic copies. The berries show slight irregularity, and bleached twigs and cones introduce weathered texture. For those who prefer Christmas greenery without needle drop or gradual browning, the kit offers something uncommon: the ability to compose an arrangement that will hold its colour and form through the entire season. The components can be rearranged from year to year, recombined with other elements, or left exactly as assembled. They will emerge from storage in December looking precisely as they do now.

For those who prefer Christmas greenery without needle drop, shed bark and gradual browning of fresh cut branches, the kit offers something uncommon: the ability to compose a fresh looking arrangement that will hold its colour and form through the entire season. The components can be rearranged from year to year, recombined with other elements, or left exactly as assembled, and they will emerge from storage in December looking precisely as they do now.

The Branch Sample Kit is available through Balsam Hill’s website, where customers can select from different fir varieties and purchase samples.

Balsam Hill was founded in 2006 by Tom Harman and Christan Yates, who built the company on the principle that artificial Christmas trees and greenery could match natural materials in appearance while eliminating the practical drawbacks of fresh foliage. The Branch Sample Kit extends that philosophy into a discovery tool: rather than asking customers to commit to a full garland without seeing the needle texture, colour depth or overall aesthetic in their own homes, the kit arrives with enough material to compose a complete arrangement. Samples in fir varieties ranging from classic deep green to pale sage, combined with dried berries, bleached twigs and natural pine cones, allow side by side comparison before purchase.

The kit’s design reflects Balsam Hill’s manufacturing approach. Each fir needle is hand painted to replicate the subtle colour gradation found in living trees, a process that takes weeks and involves multiple stages of shading. The berries are moulded to show the slight imperfection of real fruit, and bleached elements are treated to appear genuinely aged rather than artificially whitened. These details, invisible at first glance, distinguish the samples from cheaper artificial greenery and make the assembled arrangement read as naturally composed rather than obviously constructed.

The Branch Sample Kit retails at a price point designed to make sampling accessible without the cost of a full garland, and it ships to customers across the United States. Orders are placed through Balsam Hill’s website, where the sample selections are organised by fir type, allowing customers to request specific needle profiles and colour variations before committing to larger seasonal purchases. The kit arrives ready to arrange, requiring only rope, scissors and the ten minutes needed to compose the branches into a hanging piece.

Imagery courtesy of Balsam Hill (@balsamhill).