Camp Internet's Global Gardening Studies are open to all Camp Expedition Teams. RAIN's Youth Technology Corps members are Expedition Team Leaders for Communities taking part.

In The Garden	Briefings	Calendar	Activities

Christmas tree How to choose the best Christmas tree About 7 million Christmas trees are grown and sold in the UK each year. These days trees are generally grown as a specific crop and sold to garden centres, supermarkets and other shops. You can buy direct from the growers if you visit the Christmas tree plantations. Some even allow you to choose and cut, or dig up, your own tree. If you buy direct, the tree will be at its freshest - and will therefore last longer in the home.

If this is not possible, choose one that is labelled as grown in Britain by a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA), as this should provide some assurance that the tree is of good quality and freshly harvested. Before picking out your tree, ensure you are armed with the following guidelines: Colin Morgan, curator at Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent, says: "The size of home and room dictates the size of tree you can accommodate." Decide where you are going to put your tree - this will determine the shape and size of tree you need.

For example, if your tree is in a corner, choose one with a flat side which can be tucked against the wall. That way the tree will not protrude too far into the room. Measure the floor to ceiling height of your room and deduct about 45cm (18in) from the height of the tree to work out if it will fit comfortably. If you are putting your tree on a tabletop - make sure it is not bigger than 1.5m (3ft to 5ft) and looks good viewed from all sides.

Allow 15cm (6in) for a tree stand or bucket and 30cm (1ft) clearance at the top of the tree to accommodate your fairy or star. If you have to prune your tree to shorten it, do this from the base as reducing the tip will spoil the overall look of the tree. Don't forget to check whether you can fit your tree in your car! If it won't then get a roof rack.