Artificial Trees
Whether it’s a 2 metre classic shaped fig tree with a real wood trunk and lush canopy, a wisteria tree to cover an unsightly wall, a blossom tree to flood a restaurant ceiling with colour, a courtyard olive tree on a real gnarled olive trunk or a giant oak with a large, fabricated trunk our team have created them all.
Our bespoke service means that you can specify every aspect of the tree including height, shape, canopy size, trunk style and foliage density. Each tree is designed and crafted to fit perfectly into its new location. Unlike other landscapers we handle every aspect of the project in-house working closely with you through every step of the process from the initial design concept to build and installation to ensure we can exceed the expectations of your brief. Our prices are also highly competitive as we manage the whole project in house, without the need for subcontractors.
How are our artificial trees constructed?
The Trunks
We build on either real wood or fabricated trunks.
Real wood trunks will tend to be ash, hawthorn or olive which are sourced from managed woodlands or commercially grown. We treat them with insecticide and also a preservative if the tree will be outside. The trunks are then set into a solid base or onto a base plate. Most trees are built using more than one trunk, 2 to 3 are used for smaller trees and up to 7 trunks for the largest specimens. This enables us to create trees with light open habits and wide canopies.
Fabricated trunks are constructed with a metal frame over which a synthetic bark is applied. This is then hand painted to create an astonishingly realistic trunk. Wooden branches are set into the trunk and these are foliated as required. Fabricated trunks are mainly used for artificial trees where a larger diameter trunk is needed or for the very largest structures.
Tree Shape
Although every tree is different most conform to one of these basic shapes:
Classic – clear wood stems with a balloon shaped canopy
Mushroom – raised wide spreading canopy, often used to enable people to sit or walk underneath the tree
Bush – foliage from top to bottom, generally narrower in shape than a classic tree
Pleached – raised shaped canopy which is ideal for screening
Wall – wide spreading trees designed to cover walls without taking up too much space
Ceiling – trees that ‘grow’ up a wall and over a ceiling, this is proving popular in restaurants
Wisteria Foliage
Nicoly Foliage
Longifolia Foliage
Smilax Foliage
Tree Foliage
We offer a wide variety of different foliages from the classics such as birch, ficus, oak, and olive to flowering blossoms and wisteria through to the more exotic foliages such as longifolia, mango and mimosa. We also build trees with real nicoly foliage which has been preserved with natural ingredients so that it no longer needs light or water. Each creates an artificial tree with a very distinct style.
Fire Resistant Foliage
As many of the artificial trees we build are destined for commercial locations fire retardancy can often be an essential requirement.
We take fire risk very seriously and will not spray treat foliages with a flame-resistant solution and certify them as fire rated, as many other companies do. Spray treating requires regular reapplication and only offers reduced flammability. As each type of foliage can behave so differently in a fire, we only certify trees that have fireproof foliage created using flame-resistant materials and chemicals during the manufacturing process.
Creating a stunning yet safe planting scheme is paramount, and we will always work with you and your fire officer to determine what the project requires from a fire safety point of view and how our planting can achieve the required standards. We can also supply samples for testing if needed.
Large Artificial Trees
We have designed, built and installed hundreds of large artificial trees over the past 30 years, each is unique and brings different challenges. Whether that’s creating a canopy to precise dimensions to fit an alcove or finding a way to navigate a 7 metre tree through a single door, along narrow corridors and up to its final location on a roof terrace we have the skillset to manage it all.
Where weight is an issue we will work with your engineers to ensure the tree is within load limits. If access is difficult or if the tree is being shipped abroad the tree can be built in sections to construct on site.
Our feature trees can be set into large planters or fixed onto a base plate that can be bolted into a floor void. We have the experience and flexibility to create large trees for all projects and spaces. Take a look through our large tree gallery to see the huge variety of trees we have crafted.
Outdoor Artificial Trees
One of our biggest growth areas are artificial trees for outdoor use. The combination of rain, snow and in particular wind means that care has to be taken in choosing the right location for an outdoor tree. It also means that we have to ensure that the construction is suitably robust and that all the materials we use will withstand the elements.
Foliage choices for exterior grade trees are more limited for interior artificial trees as they need to be made with UV resistant materials and chemicals during the manufacturing process, otherwise the foliage will fade in direct sunlight or even turn blue. The classic choices for colourfast foliage are olive and bay which will continue to look great no matter the weather.
Olive foliage gives a true Mediterranean feel and can be crafted onto real olive trunks and ash trunks. For larger feature trees a fabricated trunk would be used with a galvanised metal frame and hand painted synthetic bark.
Bay foliage really comes into its own where more structure is needed. Pleached and espalier trees, raised hedges and natural shaped lollipop topiary all look truly stunning made with bay foliage.
What’s the process?
As it’s important for us to understand exactly what type tree you want, we generally start the bespoke process with an informal chat. We will talk through the style of tree you would like, from English to Mediterranean and even tropical. What size and shape is envisaged, the type of planter or fixing that is required and whether the tree needs to be UV stable for outside use or fire retardant. This can all be done via the phone or face to face, we are always happy to meet with our clients to discuss a brief in person. You will then receive our quote with supporting images and samples as requested.
Build time for trees can be as short as a few days to several weeks depending on size, complexity and quantity. If we are installing, our operations manager will discuss the process directly with you and make a site visit if required. Our skilled installation team is fully site compliant with all necessary qualifications to work at height. Most tree installations are completed in one day and we do advise that the installation takes place at the end of a build project when all dust has been removed.
Every artificial tree that we create is long lasting, utterly realistic and unique. Simply contact our design team to explore the possibilities for your project.
Interested in Green Wall Signage? Request a quote