Especially if it's your first time purchasing a Real Christmas Tree for your family, you might feel a little overwhelmed with choices. Garden Gate Nursery offers the finest quality trees and provides installation and delivery services to make your holiday season an enjoyable one.

Before visiting a lot, decide what width and height of tree you will need. If you're not sure what size would be best, note the height of your ceiling and the length and width of floor space you want to allow for your tree.

When you visit a lot, look for trees that have been cut recently. Ask the staff when the trees arrived. Garden Gate Christmas Trees are the freshest available since they are hand-cut shortly before being shipped to our store.

Check the needles to test freshness. On fresh firs, green needles break cleanly when bent. Pine needles are different, however. Needles on fresh pines do NOT break. If they do break, it's a sign that the pine tree is too dry.

Check for other signs that the tree might not be fresh, such as discolored needles, heavy needle loss, wrinkled bark, or a musty smell.

The above is based on information from the National Christmas Tree Association. For comprehensive fresh cut christmas tree selection guidelines, please see their website at www.christmastree.org

We will be offering "open non sheared natural trees this year." These fraser firs have a more open look which is great for the placement of larger ornaments and decorations.

We are also suggesting that customers can pre-order a tree, which is especially convenient for those who are in need of a larger tree 9 foot or above.