This year a tree is for life... and not just fir Christmas

Published on Tuesday 8 December 2009 08:52

IT IS the perfect solution for those who want to have an eco-friendly festive season – a real tree which is not just for Christmas.

A city firm is offering local residents the option to buy or rent a live tree for the festive period.

Va Va Bloom florist, in Marischal Place, Blackhall, is doing its bit to save the forests by selling the real Christmas trees, which can be returned or replanted after all of the festive fun is over. So instead of throwing out the brown and dying evergreen in the new year, people can replant the potted trees, which will grow happily in most gardens.

And when Christmas 2010 comes around, they can be dug up, re-potted and decorated all over again.

The inspiration for the reusable trees came to Louise Scott, executive florist at Va Va Bloom, when she was planning how many Christmas trees to order for the festive season.

She said: "I didn't want to just buy hundreds of cut-down firs. It seemed wrong at a time when we are all being environmentally friendly and I don't agree with it.

"I don't think the public realises how long it actually takes for their Christmas tree to grow. It can take almost a decade to get them to five or six foot.

"It's a much nicer idea that they can go on living in your garden, waiting for next year."

It is not only people with space for replanting who can enjoy an eco-friendly Christmas, however.

Va Va Bloom is the only florist in Edinburgh to offer a rental option on its trees for those without gardens or for people who are not very green-fingered.

Miss Scott, 22, said: "We deliver the tree to you and then all you have to do is go into your loft and get out your tinsel and fairy lights.

"In the new year, we pick up the trees and plant them in the garden here at the florist."

The novel trees are proving to be a runaway success, with more than half of the stock sold since they went on sale last Thursday.

Miss Scott said: "We had no idea they would be so popular, it's great that people are starting to think about finding more environmentally-friendly options, even at Christmas time."

Mary Harper, 32, a businesswoman from Stockbridge, was one of the first people to buy one of the reusable trees from Va Va Bloom.

She said: "I've been thinking more about the environment recently and a tree in a pot which goes on living seemed perfect for Christmas.

"I don't actually have a garden but I have a little boy and it was nice for him to decorate a real tree.

"We are hoping that the council will let us plant it in a park when Christmas is over for everyone else to enjoy."

Va Va Bloom's reusable Christmas trees cost between 15 and 30. Renting the trees costs less but an additional 5 delivery fee and collection fee will be charged.