On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:07:39 +0000, MJM40 wrote:

Not necessarily a conical shaped traditional christmas tree, but
something pine like, with a bit of all year round interest hence a
traditional xmas tree not being the answer - anyhow, suggestions really
appreciated.

From the gardenbanter address, I assume you're in the UK. Are you near Kent?
If so: Bedgebury has one of the outstanding conifer collections in the world:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/bedgebury Go see what the plants are like,
taking your garden book with you.

Likewise, most of the bigger botanical gardens and horticultural gardens like
Wisley, Edinburgh, and others will have well grown specimens of various
cultivars that may fit your needs. Be sure to understand how the sun is going
to hit the tree during various seasons... many of the shade tolerant conifers
winterburn badly. Trees are big investments; choose wisely for your site.

Personally, I'd put in a mixture of things in your garden rather than one big
tree, so you can have more of a design of colors and textures and seasonal
interest. The other thing about largish trees is that they get really
expensive if you have to take them down, particularly in close quarters like
you have.

http://www.finegardening.com/design/...-conifers.aspx

Me, I'm sitting here watching one of the neighborhood Douglas firs tip slowly
over in our wet clay soil. It's only about 40 ft, so just a baby, but if it
falls where I think it's going to, it's probably going to take down the power
line for this area. Oh joy.

Have you considered hiring a landscape architect or whatever the British
equivalent of a consulting arborist is? An hour or two's consultation
fee can narrow the range for your consideration, giving due weight to exposure,
climate, resistance to pollution, etc.

Kay