If you normally have an artificial tree during the festive season, why not consider buying a real one for a change? There’s a variety of beautiful trees available and suitable for every budget. This article will provide you with all the details you need to choose and find a real Christmas tree around London.
Exploring the Diversity of Christmas Trees
Christmas trees belong to three different Pinaceae genera: pines, firs and spruces.
Pines are conifers and evergreen. They have four types of leaves: seed leaves, juvenile leaves, scale leaves and needles. They’re among the most commercially important species of tree for timber and are also commercially grown and harvested for Christmas trees. The pine cones can be used as Christmas decorations when spray painted in festive colours. Pine trees are available in White, Scotch, and Virginia varieties.
Fir trees come in many varieties, from Balsam to Douglas to Grand and Noble types. Balsam Firs have a dark green hue and are fragrant. The long-lasting needles are rounded at the tip, and the tree is a traditional Christmas tree shape. The Douglas Fir has needles that radiate in all directions from the branches and have a sweet fragrance. These trees can live up to 1000 years! The Grand Fir gives off a citrusy smell from its needles, and the Noble Fir has blue-green needles on short, stiff branches that are ideal for holding heavy ornaments.
Colorado Blue, Norway and White are all types of Spruce trees suitable for Christmas. The Colorado Blue Spruce boasts good needle retention; however, when the needles are crushed, they don’t smell very nice! It has good symmetry and nice blue foliage. The White Spruce is perfect for ornaments as it, too, has short, stiff branches. It has excellent foliage color and needle retention. The Norway Spruce will lose its needles quickly if not cared for properly. It has a nice conical shape and a pleasant scent when indoors.
How to Choose Your Christmas Tree
A freshly cut, healthy Christmas tree should last about six weeks indoors. To choose the perfect tree, you should look at the needles to make sure they’re bright. Shake the tree gently, and if the needles fall off, this isn’t a good sign. If the tree feels heavy, that shows it has good water content and is fresh. Another simple test for freshness is to remove a needle and bend it in half. If it snaps, that indicates a fresh tree. A tree sticky and covered in sap is also healthy!
Where to Find a Real Christmas Tree Around London
The South London Farm
Christmas tree farms such as The South London farm are ideal to visit as they carefully tend the trees, producing high-quality ranges for when demand is at its peak. The trees here are displayed on individual stands to make it easy for you to select the one for you. Alternatively, you can pick a tree from the plantation and dig it up yourself if you have your own tools! All the trees are netted, and they range from small potted trees to large specimens. You can reserve your tree and pick it up at a later date, too.
Creekside Christmas
They’re dedicated to having beautiful Norway Spruce and Nordmann Firs at some of the best prices around. They also have stalls in The Cutty Sark area as well as Woolwich, where you can go and browse. Once you’ve selected your tree, you’ll have it wrapped and delivered at a time that fits in with your busy schedule.
The Christmas Forest
The Christmas Forest is a wonderful set-up where, for each tree sold, another tree is planted in Ethiopia. All trees are from sustainable sources, and most are farmed in the UK. There are eight sites across London where you can buy beautiful trees, including Dulwich Common, Putney Leisure Centre, Saint Paul’s Church, Finsbury Park, Ealing Common, and near the Lea Bridge train station.
Camden Garden Centre
Camden Garden Centre is a popular venue where you can see a variety of cut and potted trees. They sell Norway Spruces and Noble Firs. Clifton Nurseries has a selection of professionally cut real Christmas trees ranging from tiny to huge!
Fulham Palace Garden Centre
The Fulham Palace Garden Centre has a great range of real trees, too.
The Woodman Pub
Pines and Needles sell their trees at The Woodman Pub starting in the middle of November. They have a lovely selection of Norway Spruces and Nordmann Firs, as well as a range of potted trees with roots.
Buying a Christmas tree locally is a great way to support your local community.
How to Take Care of Your Tree
Once you’ve made your selection, you can take the tree home with you. To care for it properly, you need to put it in a bucket of water in a cool, shaded place away from direct heat. Cutting a slice off the base will open up the pores. It’ll drink a lot of water, so keep the container topped up. Once indoors, position the tree out of harsh sunlight and away from any drafts. These will only shorten the lifespan of your tree. Never let the water level go below the base of the tree. Choose a corner that’s out of the way to keep the tree safe from being knocked. Put down a protective cover to stand the tree on, as that’ll prevent water splashes from damaging your floor.
Grow Your Own Christmas Tree
Alternatively, you can buy your own Christmas tree in a container and plant it out to dig up the next year. Your tree will grow about two feet each year, so will eventually become too heavy for you to handle, but it’ll give you a few years of pleasure. Growing kits can also be purchased, but remember they take years to grow into a tree and might be a little disappointing for impatient youngsters.
Order Your Perfect Christmas Tree Online
If going out to choose your tree doesn’t appeal to you, why not order one online? There are Spruces and Firs available from Creekside Christmas, Pines and Needles, Xmas Direct and The Christmas Forest, to name but a few. Search online to get the best deals and discounts and the delivery time that suits you. After the holidays are over, online retailers will often arrange a Christmas tree pick-up service. If not, get in touch with your local council to see if they offer a recycling service.
