A long-lasting Christmas tree

The right care helps them survive the season, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

OUR local garden centre opened its Christmas display two months ago (life-size singing reindeer? Just through there madam) and now even more horticultural space has been taken up by Christmas trees.

Whether you want one that is already rooted in a pot, or a cut tree to go in a stand, the choice is yours – and what a choice there is!

The most popular varieties in the UK are the Norway spruce, which has a lovely perfume but tends to drop its thin needles quite easily, and the Nordmann fir, which doesn’t lose its needles so easily but doesn’t have that distinctive piney scent.

We already have a little Norway spruce in the garden in a container. We’ve had it for a few years and I did at one point consider planting it out, but as they can grow to 50-65ft (15-20m) with the right conditions, that plan was swiftly set aside.

So it will stay in the garden, festooned with lights, and a cut tree will take centre stage indoors.