Shopping: Six Of The Best - pine-free christmas trees

Tall wire topiary obelisk (160cm), pounds 140, and Very Tall Long Tom, pounds 135, Marston & Langinger (0171-824 8818). Candles and clip holders from Prices (0171-228 2001)

Instant light-up Christmas tree, 32cm tall, priced at pounds 20, Graham & Green (0171-243 3695)

For pounds 60, Help the Hospices (0171-278 5668) will plant you a tree close to Nazareth and the money helps support the terminally ill Inflatable, recyclable Christmas tree in blue, green, purple and frosted white, from pounds 2.99 for a 30cm tree, SKK (mail order 0171-482 3574)

Majestic tree, 6' 6", pounds 110 with free delivery, Bhs (0800 783 8019 for the tree hotline)

Crab apple, bird cherry, maple or flowering thorn trees, pounds 24, Pemberton and Whitfield (mail order 0171-371 7454)

Photograph: Richard Foster