A living Christmas tree from The Nunhead Gardener

We bought our living Christmas tree, affectionately known as Christopher Pine, in November 2022. We didn’t have a car at the time - but I had it all planned out: we were going to get the bus to The Nunhead Gardener in Nunhead as there was a bus stop right outside the shop. And so, it would mean minimal carrying of a rather heavy and prickly purchase.

James was not entirely convinced, but I think my excitement made it unavoidable - and he was kind and obliging in coming along and carrying the tree home. 🌲♥️

I felt quite strongly that I wanted a living tree. The piles of dead trees awaiting collection and chipping in January, while they smell amazing, always make me feel sad. I had brought our Christmas decorations back in my suitcase after an SA trip - and I was ready!

Fast-forward to Christmas 2025 and this is our fourth Christmas with Christopher. He would not fit in our first London flat today - boy has he grown! He has moved with us three times - and is currently standing in pride of place in the window in our living room overlooking Market Square in Ludlow.

It’s no secret we would love a dog - but for now we remain the plant parents of Christopher Pine. He’s become a part of the family - and I’m really proud of how he’s grown. It’s quite satisfying to see how he has thrived. And it means a beautiful continuity at Christmas each year. And an excuse to buy more decorations as he grows too! 🎄

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and are considering it - I highly recommend a living tree. If you don’t want to have to keep your tree year round, there are places that ‘rent’ you a living tree which you can return after Christmas (as long as it’s still alive!) and get a deposit back.

In South Africa our living tree was an olive tree - which I also loved. So it doesn’t strictly need to be a pine 🙂.

Tip: Christopher grew a fair bit in the first year after we got him and we had to repot him into a bigger pot. Pine trees don’t like wet roots, and they prefer sandy soil. So if you’re repotting a living Christmas tree be sure to mix some sand into the soil you’re potting into. They also need good drainage. So James drilled holes all round a plastic ‘inner’ pot we potted into.