we bought one root wrapped, kept it cool and in subsequent years decorated it outdoors, we still do but the ladder doesn't reach the top now-- its a beautiful tree

The trouble with bringing them indoors is that it is to a hot room, 20+C and this must stress the tree, particularly as it is difficult to give them enough water.

thank you both of you ~ maybe better outside then? it was quite a lot of money so i wouldnt want to risk it! real trees are so lovely ~ but maybe best where they are happiest ~ outside!

we kept ours in a pot for a few years and used outdoor lights on it -- it looked lovely, another idea is to buy a very small one and grow it on yourself-- I've even grown some Abies and Picea from seed--( from Chiltern Seeds)-- absolutly fascinating, Abies koreana is bigger than me now!

Just make sure that it is 'Pot Grown'. Many are potted and some say 'pot grown', when really, like potted, they have been dug up, planted in a pot and sold on.
'Potted' is usually lifted with little if any root, and bunged in a pot. Best way to tell is to lift it out the pot. Some found in pots have been netted, mainly to keep them from falling out the pot!

good advice ~ thank you nickyt ~ i shall have a careful look.

alternatively there is 'arboreous festivitus plasticus' ST, low maintanence, no watering required & they come in all sorts of hybrid forms now some even with their own lights attached.
I particularly favour the garish white form ( not ) ;-))

LOL bampy! Way to go as far as I'm concerned, living up 3 flights of stairs, nightmare trying to get the tree out without losing all its needles on the way down, given up. Actually, most years I now just use bare Salix tortuousa twigs with lights, etc.

very good bampy ~ i was trying to think of that [or some other variety] name!!?? did you see the black variety last year and the arboreous festivitus nylonus upsidedownus?

I did I did !! what a spiffingly good idea it would be to hang the creator's, sponser's & promoter's of these silly idea's upside down with a few trinkets & balls attached
( pin them where-so-ever you wish ;-} Certainly add a little extra cheer to the shopping & garden centres eh?
Point being that xmas should'nt be all about greed & profit - - - - alright Bampy you can get off your soap box now - - - -OOOOHHH !! Bah Humbug !!! :-))

ho ho ho! that really made me laugh! excellent idea ~ and can we do the same with those terrible songs we have to listen to every year?

oh please Sticki I'd ban them if I could-- or at least until december grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

not even then i think! candidate for room 101. there should be a competition to create some new ones. there are certainly some bloggers on here who have a way with words ~ im sure they could write something better?

I'm probably going to hear you all screaming from here, but I rather like Slade It's Christmas - but in December, not now. Takes me back to my youth, lol!

sorry, just heard it too much. i was young then tho!

At my 'favourite' garden centre they get customers to walk through a grotto of reindeer and fairy lights and arboreous festivitus plasticus flashing lightsicus before you get to what you really want...... which is a bag of compost or a slightly larger bonsai pot or a larger orchid pot.....whatever. I suppose they have to make a living in the winter.

mine does have the decency to keep to one side although once you are in it you have to walk right through. the plasticus flashing lightsicus are now in the shops too!!! ~ as well as the GC

Just watch out for the Arboraluminus rotata 'Colorwheeliana': it's considered a pernicious weed in many states, provinces, and counties!

i think that one must come from harry potter! we should be able to 'exterminarmus' them!

The newest 'Arboraluminus festivus plasticus gaudius' is now not only green, black & white but wait for it 'pink' !!! Saw one in B & Q yesterday! This, Sticki defo. should be 'exterminus rapidus' !

couldnt agree more grandmage. i hate pink and it does not go with the season. exterminus rapidus allofthem!

Lol. ha ha :~)