Thinking about buying your Christmas tree? Don’t know where in West Hampstead? Let us help you.

First of all, what variety? The traditional tree was the Norway Spruce, it has a nice scent but drops its prickly needles quite quickly. Over the past few years, this has been superceded by non-drop varieties, such as the Nordmann Fir, Fraser Fir and Lodge Pole Pine. The Nordman Fir is now the best selling variety, has softer needles, but less scent. The Fraser Fir is popular in America, is a bit narrower in shape, and has a nice fragrance. Another American variety, the Lodge Pole Pine was apparently used by Indians for the central pole for their teepees because of the straightness of the tree, it retains its needles.

There are a number of different places in West Hampstead to get your Christmas tree.

The Mill Lane Gardening Project

For those of that don’t know, this project is run by the Camden Society and offers training and employment to adults with learning disabilities. The money it raises from selling Christmas trees is an important source of money to support the charity.

They can arrange delivery at a small cost.

Gardening trainees Stephen, Singh, Tony, and Steven show off Mill Lane Garden Centre’s bumper crop of newly-delivered Christmas trees.

Pines and Needles

These are the new kids on the block. The company hastaken some space on Fortune Green, and is paying Camden Council for the privilege. It created a bit of rumpus as quite a few locals have been surprised that Camden would offer space to local competition to the popular Mill Lane Gardening project.

Pines and Needles started in 1995, right down the road in Maida Vale, by a couple of brothers Sam & Josh Lyle, who as teenagers brought a truck-load of Christmas trees from their family farm in Scotland. They now sell Christmas trees from 27 sites across London. Last year their customers included Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which may or may not be a selling point to West Hampstead customers.

They are, however, trying to be good neighbours (or competitors) to the Mill Lane Garden Project and will make an unspecified donation in the New Year.

Pines and Needles are a ‘full-service’ Christmas Tree seller, which means that – for a cost – they will deliver, decorate, and remove the tree (at various price tiers). Go premium and you could end up spending more than £600 on your Christmas tree!

George the grocer and West Hampstead Fruit and Veg

Trees are also available at our fruit and veg sellers on Mill Lane and West End Lane, not such a wide selection as the others but still they offer another option.  And for those of you down south of the stations they usually sell Christmas trees outside the Sherriff Centre.

And what can you do with your trees in the New Year….?

There will be two local Christmas tree reycling points; one on Kilburn Grange at Messina Avenue and the other up at the bottom of Fortune Green.