By Jenks
United Kingdom 
About seven years ago on a visit to Carnac in Brittany I picked up a huge pine cone and brought it home as an ornament. It has sat on the mantle piece ever since. a couple of weeks ago I knocked it onto the floor and to my surprise several seeds dropped out (never noticed them before) So i placed then on some wet tissue covering with the same and kept them moist. To my amazement the seeds have germinated. I have I identfied the tree as a 'Maritime Pine' Will they grow inland on the chalky soil of Hampshire.
Thanks for the response. My garden is way to small for trees. Hope the picture of the pine cone works
I like to grow trees in pots and find a home for them when they are big enough.
Here are some little oak trees grown from acorns gathered at Delville wood on the Somme
http://www.delvillewood.com/wood.htm
Jenks
PS sorry if I have not got this right.
20 Jul, 2011
Answers
It will not like chalk soil at all - very few Pines will. If you want to keep the seedlings as a nice souvenir, then I would pot them.
20 Jul, 2011
I brought some home too and kept them in a wire basket near the hearth as an ornament. Never thought of growing them - they are far too big for most gardens!
21 Jul, 2011
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I've just looked it up in Wikipedia - pinus pinaster - and I hope you have a big garden as it grows to 35 metres tall. The cones do take a few years to gradually open although a forest fire will open them sooner! They are grown widely throughout Europe so I don't see a problem with chalky soil. Blue Spruce is the expert on GOY.
20 Jul, 2011