Choose the perfect tree for you

FAKE firs can be fun – but only a real pine-fresh Christmas tree creates the perfect traditional festive feel indoors.

And you won’t even have to worry about littering your carpet with prickly needles... if you choose wisely.

The classic tree of Christmas Past was the very fragrant Norway spruce.

But taking over is the Nordmann fir, which has a lovely symmetrical shape and strong branches for holding heavy decorations.

Its non-drop needles are soft, so it’s a good choice for kids to decorate.

If you’ve got space, another worthy contender is the old faithful scots pine. Big and bushy with extra long needles that rarely drop, a cut tree will cost about £30 to £50. You can even reduce your carbon footprint with a re-usable one growing in a pot.

It isn’t hard to find more unusual varieties of conifer from garden centres and mail order suppliers.

And plenty are pot-grown, so can be used again and again.

If space is limited, consider the Fraser fir – a neat, feathery dark green tree – or the Serbian spruce, slender with slightly weeping branches clothed with soft, scented needles with a silver sheen and blue underside.

If Christmas means no expense spared luxury to you look, out for Noble fir, known as the king of trees.

It has a stately shape and elegantly curled blue-green needles that rarely drop off, plus a lovely aroma.

Own a cat? Consider the blue spruce, with a blue tinge and spiky needles to keep pets away. They are usually sold in pots around 90cm-1.5m tall so you can plant them outdoors ready for next Christmas.

Whatever you buy, select a size and shape that will fit in your room – allowing for ornaments on top.

And before bringing any tree inside, give it a couple of days in the garage if you have one to ease transition.

Make sure the roots don’t dry out and soak cut the bottom of a tree for a few hours before bringing it in.

Spray foliage to stop needle-drop, and place away from heat sources.

After Twelfth Night, councils can often shred trees for mulch.

If you prefer, up-cycle the skeleton and use as a climber support in your border. Or hang bird feeders – rather than baubles – from it.