Everything you need to consider when searching for the perfect festive fir – from the colour and shape to the drop of the needles.

Christmas tree one-upmanship has got a little bit out of hand recently. And if you thought it was just size that mattered, consider Claridge’s of London, which has enlisted the help of world-class designers Messrs Marc Newson and Jony Ive to create an immersive room-sized Christmas tree installation in its lobby this year. Or The Connaught hotel, whose evergreen for 2016 is speared by what looks like a massive lightsabre, created by Mr Antony Gormley, no less. However, here at MR PORTER, we think a good old-fashioned pine-scented fir is just the thing. And as such, we’ve put together the following guide to picking the perfect tree, with a little help from Christmas tree expert Mr Sam Hardcastle of Bloomfield Wholesale Florist – who, aside from decking out NET‑A‑PORTER HQ with blooms, provided 100 6ft trees for Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland this year. Take note of the below top tips to ensure that your tree stays happy and healthy through to the end of the holidays.

We might all like the idea of an imposing 18ft fir in our front rooms, but realistically we don’t all have the space. So Mr Hardcastle suggests coming prepared, with measurements and an idea to help the salesmen direct you to a tree to fit your preferences. “It’s worth thinking about width as well as height,” he says, “whether a skinny tree or fuller one will look best in the space.” Once you’ve found one that suits, all good salesman will be happy to trim the trunk to reduce the height, or thin out the back of the tree if it needs to fit snugly in a corner.

If you’re in the UK, there is little variety, and all the trees available will probably be Nordmann firs, as they’re best suited to European temperatures. Nordmann’s are the classic layered shape we’re used to for Christmas trees, but if you’re looking to mix things up, Mr Hardcastle recommends trying a Fraser fir: “They have shorter needles and are often trimmed into a ball-like shape rather than arranged in traditional layers,” so will give you a new effect. They also have a different scent to normal pines – “slightly more lemony”.

This is one of those occasions where you need to judge a book by its cover, as the fir’s appearance will indicate the condition it’s in. “Look for depth of colour,” says Mr Hardcastle. “Find a nice dark green tree – the colour shows it’s fresh.” He also suggests looking at how the needles are arranged, and taking your eyes away from the base up to the top of the tree. “Lower down, the trees are more likely to be full. Look for a tree with a full head – that’s bushy on top and not too sparse.”

Once you’ve found “the one”, aesthetically speaking, it pays to put the tree through its paces. “Get the salesman to bang the tree,” says Mr Hardcastle. “Nordmanns are non-drop trees, and therefore once shaken only old brown needles (last year’s ones) should drop off.” If the green needles start to shed upon impact, the tree isn’t fresh, and will struggle to make it through the full festive period. Another test is to push down on the branches – “if it’s healthy, they should spring back.” This will also give you an idea of how fit it is to hold all those nice decorations.

According to Mr Hardcastle, the most common mistake is that people don’t water their tree. “In the winter months with radiators turned up to high temperatures, the dry heat draws all the water out the tree.” This means that if not cared for properly, your festive centrepiece could be sad and sparse by the time the big day comes around. The trick? “Buy your tree with a stand that holds water. We sell stands that hold up to a litre, and recommend topping it up every day. That way, a tree bought in the first couple of weeks of December should last all the way through.”

Bloomfield Wholesale Florist can be found Monday-Saturday at New Covent Garden Flower Market in Vauxhall, early mornings until about 10am