Oh Christmas tree

Thoughts have turned to Christmas trees in our house this week and last Sunday we went to buy one at a local DIY store. We like to have a cut tree rather than an artificial one but there is a wide choice available of both sorts with many artificial ones already drastically reduced despite Christmas still a little way away.

Cut or live Christmas trees come in various sizes from 60-90cm/2-3ft to 2.1m/7ft or more and in several species, the main three being Norway spruce, Nordman fir and Fraser fir. Norway spruce, the traditional Christmas tree, is the most easily available and usually the cheapest. It tends to drop its needles quickly, especially if placed in a warm room, but it is easy to decorate and its evocative scent, best when first bought, is an essential part of Christmas for many.

The Nordman fir is what my children would describe as a plump tree and needs a decent area to stand in. It is the tree we have chosen over past years but, once or twice, when a particularly wide specimen has arrived home we have struggled to get it into its space. However, it is a beautiful tree, with a good shape and reasonably needlefast.

The tree we have decided to try this year is Fraser fir with soft dark green needles with a silvery underside on dense branches and a strong citrus-pine scent. It is similar to the Nordman and, in fact, we mistook our tree for this species until we noticed the label, but Fraser firs are narrower at the bottom and are a good choice where space is tight.

Whichever cut tree is chosen and whether or not they are described as being needlefast, they will all last much longer if placed in water. Purpose-made Christmas tree stands are available for this purpose and although it is another expense at this time of year it is a good investment since the stand will last for many years. The tree simply needs to have 7.5cm/3ins sawn off the base of the trunk before being bolted into the stand which should then be filled with water and checked and topped up daily or when necessary.

Alternatively the tree can be put into a large bucket. This looks good but help may be needed, especially if the tree is large. Trim the base of the tree as described above and also remove a few of the bottom-most branches so the tree can fit into the bucket. Put the bucket where the tree is to be displayed and position the tree in it with one person holding it upright whilst the other wedges the trunk in firmly with lengths of wood, half bricks or large pebbles. Once the tree is completely stable, fill the bucket with water and check daily.

Weekend catch-up

It is very strange in the garden at the moment as I go out there to cut stems for my Christmas wreath and find that marguerites and felicia are still in flower. There is even some lobelia still managing to produce an odd bloom among the fading foliage. However, despite these summery flowers, it really is time to get the wreath arranged and hung on the door.

The holly tree has berried well this year, as has the cotoneaster. Stems cut from each combine well in a wreath although the cotoneaster needs to be treated with care as the fruit drops very easily if knocked. I tie the holly stems around the frame first to create a backbone before adding cotoneaster and anything else from the garden that will fill the gaps. Dried flowers from Hydrangea macrophylla are a good choice but mine failed this year, the new buds dropping during the hot spell at the beginning of July. However, grasses flourished, even the zebra grass Miscanthus sinensis "Zebrinus", which was moved in the summer to a more open, sunnier spot, has come into bloom. It is reputed to rarely flower in the north and the unexpected silken tassels are a welcome addition to the holly.

Any evergreen items from the garden can be used to add to a wreath, including a stem or two from Clematis armandii with its long, glossy dark leaves and from the bushy Pittosporum. The latter shrub has thin, dark stems covered in small variegated leaves that give a good contrast to the spikiness of the holly and elongated elegance of the clematis. Short lengths of rosemary add fragrance and a final weaving of bright ribbon accentuates the colour of the berries - especially useful if these are few.

Gardening TV and radio

Tomorrow

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors, with Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Gardening, with Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden.

2pm, BBC Radio 4, Gardeners' Question Time. The horticultural experts are in Essex as guests of Little Waltham Gardening Club. The gardening weather forecast will be broadcast at 2.25pm.

Tuesday

9pm, BBC2, Monty Don - Growing Out Of Trouble. The project to rehabilitate addicts hits a sticky patch as the farm landlords begin to question their decision to allow their land to be used for the project when they find some of the group are still using drugs.

Thursday

9pm, BBC2, Monty Don - Growing Out Of Trouble. In the final part of the series members of the team go public as they enter their vegetables in a competition at Britain's largest festival of food.

Friday

7.30pm, BBC2, Christine's Garden. Christine travels to Lancashire where her passion for gardening first started.

8pm, BBC2, Gardener Provocateur: Alan Titchmarsh's Tribute To Christopher Lloyd. Alan Titchmarsh explores the life of the well-known horticulturist and writer who died last January at the age of 84.

9pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World at Christmas. A festive-themed edition from the team at Berryfields.