Behind the Scenes with Nursery Management magazine

Real vs. fake – Christmas trees

It's debated every year. What's better: A real Christmas tree or a fake one?

My vote? Real, all the way. And it really has nothing to do with being a friend of the industry. I've been a real tree fan since my earliest Christmas memory. I remember really cold, snowy nights in the Denver area and in Grand Junction, Colo., looking for the perfect tree. Dad's freezing his tail off while mom and I ask him to pick up every single tree and give it a spin. We're looking for one with good shape, good height, sturdy bottom branches and the perfect topper for the star. Then there were many mild pursuits once we made it back to Texas. Some years we even had on shorts during our Christmas tree hunt. It's the thrill of the expedition that makes me love real Christmas trees. You can't get that with a fake tree. (Well, maybe if it's red-tagged 75 percent off and you're fighting off crazed women to get the last one in a box.)

I love the texture of a real tree. I love how no two trees are exactly alike. And most of all I love the scent. Fake trees give off a chemical scent that reminds me of frog dissecting day in science class. Ick.

There's even a debate about decorating trees – matchy-matchy or mish-mash?

My tree is an amalgam of sparkles, glass, plastic, paper, yarn, macaroni, tin, fabric, etc. I have no color scheme and no theme. And I absolutely love it that way. I cherish decorating the tree with the kids and reliving each story about every ornament, whether they were gifts from my grandmothers, homemade ones from school or a souvenir from a trip.

May each of you make happy memories this year at Christmas.

— Kelli Rodda

What We've Read

I saw a post on a gardening blog about planting a daylily garden with plant names inspired by the blogger's daughter. Great idea!

She planted: 'Precious One,' 'Sent From Heaven,' 'Twirl Girl,' 'Lollipop,' 'Melody Lane,' 'Pearl Island,' 'Ginger Cookie,' 'Blueberries and Cream,' 'Butterfly Kisses' and 'Cutie Pie.'

I've been planning a grandmother memorial garden with plants that remind me of those two wonderful ladies. I still have a lot of research to do. But I'm going to run with the kids idea and do a Reese and Molly garden next spring.