Trees – The New Language of Love

February brings with it the celebratory day of love we all know as Valentines Day. Whether you are sharing the day with a loved one, celebrating friendships or remembering loved ones lost, Valentine’s Day is a time to express love and appreciation, and gifting a tree offers a unique and enduring way to do so.

Unlike traditional gifts like chocolates or perfume, a tree symbolises growth, strength, and a lasting bond, making it a meaningful present for your loved one.

Why Gift a Tree on Valentine’s Day?

Symbolism: Trees represent life, growth, and resilience, mirroring the qualities of a strong relationship or friendship.

Longevity: While flower bouquets may wither and chocolates be eaten, a tree continues to grow, serving as a lasting reminder of your bond.

Environmental Impact: If you’re looking for a sustainable gift for those eco-conscious in your life, planting a tree contributes positively to the environment, supporting sustainability and biodiversity and most certainly won’t end up in landfill. By choosing to gift a tree this Valentine’s Day, you’re offering a present that grows over time, much like your relationship, and contributes positively to the environment.

Choosing the Perfect Tree

When selecting a tree as a Valentine’s gift, consider the following:

Ornamental Trees: Flowering trees like cherry blossoms or magnolias offer beautiful blooms that can be enjoyed annually. Perfect if you have an important date to remember over spring like an anniversary.

Fruit Trees: Apple or pear trees not only provide lovely blossoms but also yield fruit, adding a practical aspect to your gift.

Evergreens: Trees and shrubs like Ceanothus or Juniper maintain their foliage year-round, symbolising eternal love.

Personalising Your Gift

The gifting of the tree doesn’t have to be the end of the present either, why not plan one of these fun activities to truly make your day a special one.

Planting Together: Plan a day to plant the tree together, creating a shared memory and a personal connection to the tree.

Future Date Token: If you’ve brought a fruit tree why not set a date for when it’s harvest time, pick the fruits together and have a day making something with them in the kitchen. The great thing is this will come around every year, the start of new traditions maybe?

Customised Plaque: Include a personalised plaque with a heartfelt message or the date to commemorate the occasion.

A few tree varieties that we LOVE

There are some cleverly named varieties at the nursery that we think will make amazing gifting choices this Valentines Day as well as trees that bring romance and love vibes in abundance.

Cercis canadensis ‘Cascading Hearts’

The name of this catches our attention and the beauty of the tree keeps it. This is a beautiful weeping tree with heart shaped green leaves during the summer turning golden in autumn. The leaves themselves are a beauty to behold but in spring small lavender sweet-pea like flowers erupt from bare stems.
A perfect Valentines Day choice to say “I love you” all year round.

Apple ‘Scrumptious’ ®

Scrumptious by name and scrumptious by nature. This apple is a popular variety for so many reasons. It is self-fertile meaning you don’t need any other trees for this apple tree to form fruit. The fruit will also naturally stay on the tree meaning no rotting apples on the ground and maximum yields. Yum!

The apples can be eaten straight from the tree during harvest in mid-September so why not plan a picnic date by your tree and enjoy the apples together.

Available on a dwarf and semi-vigorous rootstocks.

Cherry ‘Sweetheart’®

Deep red and the colour of Love, this cherry tree has an excellent eating quality and ideal for patio growing due to its naturally dwarf compact habit. Share a cherry or two during harvest in August or bake a cake together and add the cherries to the top. Yum! Available on a dwarf and semi-vigorous rootstocks.

Cercis ‘Eternal Flame’®

This tree just glows with passionate vibes. The glossy foliage emerges red turning burnt orange-yellow as they age. In spring, small pink flowers adorn the branches and leaves, bringing a whole new level to the amazing colour show. This is the ideal tree to show that special someone there is an eternal flame burning for them.

Malus brevipes ‘Wedding Bouquet’

How aptly named, not only a perfect Valentines present but a perfect wedding gift too. Move over Mr and Mrs mugs, trees are taking centre stage.

This crab apple variety is a wonderful addition to any garden, putting on a show of ivory white flowers before making room for the dark red berry like fruits that persist well into December. A naturally dwarf and compact tree means that it’s perfect for even the smallest spaces!

As one of the UK’s largest tree nurseries, the team at Frank P Matthews offer an extensive selection of both ornamental and fruit trees suitable for gifting. The range includes unique varieties that can cater to different tastes and garden sizes. Everything from dwarf patio varieties right through to statement making, space filling trees, regardless of size though, all trees bring their own personality and life to your garden.