ELL Guide to Christmas: Buying Christmas trees

Christmas Trees. Pic: Anthony Goto

Christmas Trees. Pic: Anthony Goto

The fragrant aroma of pine needles, the warm glow of stringed lights and the sparkle of glittering baubles are just a few of the reasons Christmas trees take pride of place in our living rooms over the holidays.

Real firs are returning to decorate our homes and selecting a real Christmas tree has huge environmental benefits. Roger Hay from the British Christmas Tree Growers Association said: “Real Christmas trees are absolutely the solution to environmental sustainability. Absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen during the growing cycle, yet completely recyclable after use.”

As December begins, quality evergreens are popping up for sale across all the EastLondonLines boroughs. Here are just a few places where you can get yours.

Lewisham 

Brockley Market: Along with Christmas food and decorations, Lewisham’s award winning market will also be selling Christmas trees grown on Kent’s Hole Park Estate. Hole Park, members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, say their “business ethos is to provide fresh home grown trees” to the southeast.

Brockley Logs will be selling a variety of the Kent firs including Norwegian Spruces, Serbian Spruces and Nordmann Firs ranging from £22-£99. Catch Brockley Market from 10:00am-2:00pm every Saturday in Lewisham College’s car park.

King’s Christmas Trees: Buying one of King’s Scottish Nordmann Firs will do more than just add some sparkle to your living room. Set up in association with the Jericho Road Project, a homeless charity based in Catford, the money from each tree bought will help rough sleepers and vulnerable people by providing hot meals at the project’s meetings. Last year the charity served 4500 three-course meals.

The trees are available from select locations in Catford, Deptford and West Norwood and are also available for home delivery. The Fir’s which retain their needles very well and have glossy, deep green foliage range from £35 for a four foot tree to £63 for an eight foot tree.

Tower Hamlets 

Columbia Road Flower Market: Christmas trees have arrived at London’s famous flower market. Buy your tree on a Wednesday evening and relish in the festive atmosphere as the street’s Dickensian cobbles, 19th Century shop fronts will be awash with Christmas lights and carol singers.

The flower market will take place every Sunday as well as on the Wednesday evenings leading up to Christmas from 5:00pm-9:00pm. Christmas trees are available in a variety of breeds, shapes and sizes.

Pines and Needles: Founded by brothers Josh and Sam Lyle in 1995, Pines and Needles began on the then teenage brothers’ loaded up an old horse box with Christmas trees and sold them from their family farm in Scotland. The pair now have 20 stores in London and their kilted salesmen will be stationed at Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery until Christmas Eve.

The company are committed to sustainability, remaining carbon neutral throughout the Christmas season and replanting seedlings in the place of cut trees. Indoor Nordmann Firs range from £33.95 to £171.95, while outdoor Norway Spruces range from £29.95 to £127.95. Decorated and extra-large trees are also available.

Hackney 

The Christmas Forest: Open from November 27 until Christmas Eve Stoke Newington’s Christmas Forest will be brimming with freshly cut evergreens.  From potted, to non-drop and traditional, the forest has a huge selection of breeds to choose from including Nordmann, Noble and Fraser Firs along with wreaths, holly and mistletoe.

For every tree bought the forest will plant a tree in the drylands of Africa through Tree Aid. To date they have planted 128,114 trees. They have also provided trees for PunchDrunk’s interactive performance The Drowned Man. Trees range from £22 to £225, while potted trees range from £4.50 to £48.

North 1 Garden Centre: 2013’s Garden Centre of the Year is geared up for the festive season, offering six breeds of tree including small Omorikas and nine foot Nordmann Firs. A fine selection of decorations including gold resin stags and striking baubles in crisp whites and yellows are also available to brighten up your home. Trees range from £30 for smaller sizes to £120 for larger sizes.

Croydon 

Wyevale Garden Centre: Ice skating, a Winter Wonderland, Santa’s Grotto and breakfast with Father Christmas are just a few of the events launching Wyevale into the festive season. Their real tree collection allows visitors to bring some of the yuletide magic home.

Wyevale say they “work with the best growers to bring [visitors] the finest quality Christmas trees”. Customers can choose from pot-grown and cut trees, including traditional British-grown Nordmann firs, fragrant Fraser firs and Swedish style Nordmann. Trees start from £29.99, stands and a tree care guide are available to keep trees looking fresh into the new year.

Woodcote Green: The south Croydon garden centre’s Christmas shop offers potted Blue Spruces, sturdy Nordmans and Norway Spruces along with an array of garlands, wreaths, lights and candles to complete your Christmas look. Spruces start from £20.00 and Nordmans from £29.50.

 

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