Parasol trees also known as roof form, roof top or umbrella shape trees are single stemmed trees that have had their central leaders cut away to leave a crown. The remaining lateral branches are then trained over a bamboo or steel frame to create a horizontal screen, creating an umbrella or parasol effect. Full, dense foliage with highly realistic needles ensures there's plenty of visual wow-factor, but it's the hassle-free set-up that will really make your jaw drop –and justify its investment price tag. If you prefer to add your own lights then Balsam Hill's Mac has the following top tip for getting the illuminations right, 'Lights bring your Christmas tree to life even without decorations.If you prefer to string your own lights,you needat least 100 lights per foot of the tree.Double or triple the amount if you love the look of brighter, more intense lights on your tree'.

To find the most realistic looking tree, it's all about the branch tips. Although it isn't a guarantee, generally speaking the higher the number of branch tips an artificial tree has, the more realistic it will look. As a guage, the best artificial Christmas trees will generally offer 2000+ branch tips on a 6 foot tree. However, more branch tips does mean more expense. Enjoy huge price cuts when you shop Balsam Hill's after Christmas Christmas tree sales. As we make way for new decorations for the coming seasons, you can take advantage of great prices and rare, last-chance items.Next Working Day Delivery is NOT available for delivery in the Scottish Highlands or any Off-Shore postcodes i.e Channel Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight. We've probably all made the mistake of falling in love with the biggest real Christmas tree in the field, only to then have to saw sections off just to get it through the front door, let alone make it fit into the living room.

The best artificial Christmas trees can now truly give the real deal a run for their money, plus, you get the bonus of convenience and get to opt out of December-long pine needle hoovering.The cheapest artificial Christmas trees reduce costs by offering less branches which can make for a far sparser looking tree, and means you're more likely to be able to see the central metal pole – instantly making the tree look more fake.

When it comes time to decorate, this tree is also an easy winner. It comes pre-lit with 900 white micro LEDs, and its natural-looking irregular outline offers a good mix of longer branches for hanging dangling baubles, and fuller branches towards the centre for nestling shorter decorations. If you're willing to invest in an artificial Christmas tree that pulls out all the stops, then it's well worth considering a luxury option from artificial Christmas tree specialists Balsam Hill, and it doesn't get much more luxe than this innovative Flip Tree® design. No, you might not get the thrill of the snowy trip to the Christmas tree farm with an artificial option, but it does mean there are no worries about how early you can decorate (no-one wants drooping branches when the big day arrives), there’s no need to water or worry about pine sap damaging your flooring, you’re not constrained with positioning to keep a real tree away from dehydrating radiators or windows, and you’re excused the hassle of disposing of your tree in the New Year. As the lights are already evenly distributed throughout the whole tree, opting for a pre-lit tree will save you the job of fiddling about and potentially getting in a tangle over the perfect arrangement, plus you don't have to guess just how long a string of fairy lights you need to buy, or have unsightly wires showing through the branches in the daylight. The higher the number of tips, the more bushy and realistic an artificial tree is likely to be. As a rough guage, the best artificial Christmas trees will generally offer 2000+ branch tips on a 6 foot tree. However, more branch tips does generally also mean more expense. BudgetWe think it makes a brilliant space-saving option to pile the presents under, or you can use it to add some seasonal excitement to a blank wall in a high traffic area where a tree may be a hindrance, like the hallway or kitchen. How to choose the best artificial Christmas tree If you want an artificial tree that's difficult to distinguish from the real thing then you need to look at the tree's 'tip count'. This is the number of branch tips a faux tree has been constructed with, and although the tip count will increase with the size of the tree, if you're comparing two options of comparable height, then the tip count is a good indication of its quality. Although there are affordable artificial xmas trees to be found, investing in one of the best artificial Christmas trees on the market doesn't usually come cheap.