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December 6, 2010

A different kind of Christmas tree

Williams-Sonoma is known for its fine cookware and kitchen accessories, but around this time of year the catalog also offers lots of Christmas greens for sale, including Christmas trees.

This year, the company is offering a different kind of Christmas tree: seedlings of Japanese black pine, Southern magnolia and Colorado blue spruce.

These young, farm-grown seedlings sell for $49.95 each, plus shipping, and are between a foot and two feet tall.

The catalog says the baby trees can be treated like houseplants this winter and transplanted outdoors in the spring.

The trees come in a jute bag with a red ribbon.

An earth-friendly Christmas present if ever there was one.

Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

Posted by Susan Reimer at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: From the catalogs

Comments

I'm forced to say I'm deeply skeptical. A pine, spruce or magnolia tree isn't designed to be indoors and undormant in the winter, no matter how small and cute it is. These things may last through Christmas, but I'm pretty sure they'll be dead before the ground thaws enough to plant them outside.

Oh my. I hope not!--Susan

Posted by: ChicagoGardener | December 8, 2010 7:15 PM

Here are a couple of interesting and more sustainable Christmas tree options in other cities (Portland, OR & Los Angeles, CA).

Trees delivered by bike (Portland)
http://www.treesbybike.com

Living trees purchased for Christmas then planted at local schools after the holiday (Portland)
http://www.livingchristmastrees.org

Living trees rented and then returned for replanting at a nursery after the holiday (LA)
http://www.livingchristmas.com\

I wish one of these was an option here in Baltimore, but I'll probably just get one from the Waverly Farmer's Market this Saturday and carry it home.

Thanks for sharing! This is wonderful stuff -- Susan

Posted by: Anonymous | December 9, 2010 1:29 PM

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About Susan Reimer

Susan Reimer has spent 16 years writing about raising kids - among other topics - in her column for The Baltimore Sun. And every time son Joseph or daughter Jessie passed another milestone - driver's license, college, wedding or a move to a new military duty station - she has planted another garden. Now she will be writing about those gardens - and yours - here on Garden Variety.

Susan isn't an expert gardener, but she wasn't an expert mother, either. Both - the kids and the gardens - seem to be doing well in spite of her.

She lives in Annapolis with her husband, Gary Mihoces, who loves to cut his grass but has noticed that there seems to be less of it every time the kids pass another milestone.

Follow @susanreimer on Twitter