More commonly seen and known as the Christmas tree, Picea abies makes a beautiful specimen tree for large gardens and parks. It has a conical shape, attractive red-brown bark and short, deep green needles that have a strong scent. In summer and autumn, red-brown cones appear. Putting on around 1m of growth a year, so is best grown in a large garden. More compact cultivars are available, however, suitable for smaller spaces. For best results grow in moist but well-drained, slightly acidic soil, in full sun. As it reaches quite a large size, it is best grown in a large garden. Spruce has shallow roots, so when planting, dig a hole twice the width of the root ball or container. Plant at the same depth as it was in the container. Water in well and add well rotted manure to help conserve moisture. Keep your tree well watered for the first year after planting. Once established, it should get all the moisture it needs from rainfall.