make life beautiful
Selecting the Perfect Christmas Tree
English Gardens offers both fresh-cut and life-like trees. Fresh-cut trees are good for the environment and the economy. New-growth trees produce oxygen and are a renewable resource. Plus, enjoying the evergreen fragrance can bring back fond childhood memories. English Gardens experts offer some great tips for picking out the perfect tree this year.
Measure, Measure and Measure Again.
Whether you are buying a fresh-cut or artificial, life-like tree, knowing how much space you have is the first step.
- Height The first thing to consider is the height of the space you’ll be placing your tree. We have trees that measure from 2 to over 14 feet tall. Measure the area in your space prior to coming into the store. Leave at least six inches of space between the ceiling and the top of the tree, and you’ll have the maximum height of your tree.
- Diameter Consider how wide of an area you have for the tree. There are slim, medium and wide-profile options in life-like trees, and fresh trees have different girths depending on the individual tree. The wider the tree, the more of a focal point it becomes in the room. Measure how wide the area is. Will you need to re-arrange furniture to make it fit?
Here are some guidelines to get you started:
- 8 foot ceiling: 7.5 foot tall tree
- Bay window with soffit: 6.5 foot tree
- 8 foot to 12 foot cathedral ceiling: 9 foot tree
- Open, winding staircase: 10 foot slim tree
- Window wall: A slim tree that won’t block light
- Basement: 6.5 foot tree or tabletop
Freshness, Fullness and Fragrance
When selecting a fresh-cut tree look for one that is symmetrical with full branches. Fresh trees may have a hole here and there. These spaces are perfect for larger ornaments.
To test for freshness, grab a branch between your thumb and forefinger and slide it towards you. If you end up with needles in your hand, then select another tree. If the needles stay on the branches, then the tree is fresh and ready to take home. Be sure the diameter of the trunk fits into your tree stand.
Selecting the style is a matter of personal preference. What looks most like a Christmas tree to you?
- Douglas Fir The traditional Christmas tree, with soft green needles and the famous fragrance that can only be described as Christmas.
- Fraser Fir A truly beautiful tree with thick branches perfect for large ornaments and a wonderful evergreen fragrance (fun fact: thousands of years ago, evergreen branches were displayed over the front doors of homes during the winter solstice because their green color promised spring!).
- Balsam Fir A traditional look Christmas tree, that look similar to the Fraser Fir but more fragrant with good needle retention.
- Concolor Fir has soft, silvery, blue-green needles with a mild citrus scent. It is a great selection for a not-so-traditional Christmas Tree.
Fresh trees add a wonderful fresh evergreen fragrance to your home. Balsam Fir is the most fragrant, followed by Douglas Fir and finally Fraser.
If you select a life-like tree, you can still enjoy the fragrance of evergreen with “Scent of a Tree” home spray. Fraser Fir varieties have shorter needles or tips, while Douglas Firs have longer tips.
Details
Life-like trees also have a few other options to consider, such as flocking, pre-lit with incandescent or LED lights, or ready-to-light styles.
- Flocked Trees feature snow-covered branches.
- Pre-lit Trees Are available with multi or clear incandescent light, or dual-color changing LED lights that switch from multi to clear with a tap of a foot pedal. The LED trees also have 7 other flashing or fading functions if you like those settings.
- Ready-to-light Christmas Tree Offers endless opportunities to be creative or change your style year after year.
Make it Last
- Before placing your tree in a stand, make at least a one-inch cut to the trunk of the tree, more is ok but less may not be enough. Use either a hand saw or chain saw.
- Only drill a hole in the center of the trunk if your stand has a large diameter spike in the bottom. If the spike is about the size of a nail or smaller there is no need to drill a hole, simply tap the stand onto the tree so it bites into the tree.
- Put it in the stand and straighten it. Fill the stand immediately with water. It is typical for trees to initially take lots of water but slow down on water intake as time goes on.
- Put someone in charge! Every day, monitor the water level in the stand and add water when needed. To be safe, check the water every morning and every evening to make sure the reservoir has not dried out. If your tree ever runs out of water, it will have to be given a new fresh cut so it takes up water again.
- Be sure to keep the tree away from any heat source and turn off the lights on the tree when leaving the house. Placing a tree too close to a fireplace should be avoided, even if you are just trying to make Santa’s commute a bit easier.
- To help preserve your tree, add Prolong Tree Preserve to the water to keep the tree fresh for the season.
- Using a tree disposal bag under the tree will aid in a swift cleanup.
- Life-like trees need to be stored properly to keep them looking beautiful year after year. English Gardens Tree storage bags can keep your tree safe and protected when it’s not in use.
We design and custom order our trees, ensuring that your life-like Christmas tree lasts for many years. All of our trees offer a ten-year warranty, as well as a three-year warranty on lights. Make sure to visit your local English Gardens to find just what you’re looking for.