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Flowerdew, the organic gardening guru, buys an artificial tree for Christmas
Last updated at 22:52pm on 09.12.06One of Britain's best-known organic gardeners has angered traditionalists by buying a plastic Christmas tree this year.
In his column in Amateur Gardening magazine Bob Flowerdew, 52, a regular panellist on Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time, challenges the way that Britons take real trees into their homes and "slowly torture them to death".
He says buying an artificial tree - and saving a real tree from death over Christmas - is more environmentally friendly.
But British Christmas Tree Growers Association secretary Roger Hay said: "While Christmas trees are growing they do all the good things trees do for the environment.
"When they are cut, they are immediately replaced. But artificial trees are shipped around the world and cannot break down, clogging landfill sites for 1,000 years."
Reader views (2)
I had this argument with the manager at my local garden centre last year, he was trying to push me into buying a cut tree whilst I was asking his advice on fir trees to plant in my garden. His views where that they are produced as crops and should be treat as such. I pointed out that crops are usually annuals and would die naturally at the end of the season - trees aren't and shouldn't. I ended up buying an artificial one which will last me many years to come!
- Elaine, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, 12/12/2006 09:45
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He's quite right. Once you've cut it down and separated it from its roots then you've killed it. Better to leave the evergreen in the garden growing year on year. Same with fish tanks in living rooms; better to leave them out naturally in the garden in a pond.
- Dhanraj, Basildon, Essex, 10/12/2006 09:28
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