Many people would agree, you just can't beat a real Christmas tree.

True, plastic ones are convenient but they don't quite have the same look,smell or magic as a real tree. And it's always an exciting annual ritual to go out and choose the tree.

There are several varieties to choose from too - Norway spruce is probably the most traditional but it is known for losing its needles without proper care. However, the Nordmann fir is a popular choice because it doesn't drop its needles. The Frasier fir is known for keeping its needles and also has a pleasant scent and is an attractive blue-green colour.

Many people buy cut trees but you can also but a potted tree and plant it in the garden after Christmas. And with lots of sizes available, there is something to suit every type of home.

You don't have to travel outside of London to buy a real Christmas tree - there are lots of places ranging from garden centres to pop-up shops across the capital which sell them. Some will even deliver.

In no particular order of preference we list 32 places to buy a Christmas trees in London - and we haven't even included DIY stores such as B&Q and Homebase which also sell real trees.

The list is broken down into London-wide, and then west, east south and north London so you can find the tree nearest to you.

Across London

Choose a tree from The Christmas Forest and it will donate one tree to the drylands of Africa for every Christmas tree it sells

1. Pines & Needles

Pines & Needles have stores across London and will even deliver. Run by brothers Josh and Sam Lyle, who started out selling Christmas trees as teenagers from their family farm in Scotland, it hit the headlines in 2016 when they supplied a Christmas tree to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, then Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. You can have your tree delivered of book a visit online to one of the stores.

Where it is: Stores in Barnes, Ealing, Battersea Park, Fulham, Upper Holloway, Kenwood House, Victoria Park, Kingston, Brick Lane, Maida Vale, Wandsworth Bridge Road, Brockwell Park, Notting Hill, Wandsworth High Street, Camden, Regents Park, Wembley, Chiswick, Shoreditch, St Leonards, Wimbledon Park and Clissfold Park.

Find out more here.

2. The Christmas Forest

The Christmas Forest real Christmas tree company is working alongside the charity Tree Aid and will donate one tree to the drylands of Africa for every Christmas tree it sells, both in-store and online, to help restore land and provide families with a means of earning a living.

To date, the company has already planted 232,275 trees in Africa over the last 12 years. It's hoping to take that total up to a 250,000 trees this year and has a goal of 300,000 trees by 2020.

You can book your visit online to buy your Christmas tree at any one of the 10 stores in farm-like settings across London or you can buy online and have your tree delivered to your home by this family business. Trees are freshly cut and come from sustainable Christmas tree farms where every tree cut is replaced by a new one. The company tries to buy as locally as possible to reduce tree miles.

Where it is: Stores in Dulwich, Highbury, Lee Valley (Hackney), Ealing, Kensel Green, Putney, Finsbury Park, Lavender Hill, Richmond and Stoke Newington.

Find out more here.

3. Wyvale Garden Centres

You can pick from Nordmann fir, Sweadish-style Nordmann fir, Fraser fir and Norway spruce from branches of this garden centre, as well as your decorations. Staff will cut it to fit your stand, net it and take it to your car. Wyevale's Christmas Tree promise means if you don't love your tree, the store will replace it for free anytime before Christmas Day.

Where it is: Osterley, Syon Park, Croydon Purley Way, Harrow and Enfield

Find out more here.

4. IKEA, Croydon, Wembley and Tottenham (Edmonton)

You can get a Nordmann firs for just £5 from Ikea. Although they are priced at £25, Ikea will give you a £20 voucher when you buy one, which means you effectively get your tree for just a fiver.

Where it is: Valley Park, off Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 4UZ

2 Drury Way, North Circular Road, Wembley, NW10 0TH

6 Glover Drive, Tottenham (Edmonton), N18 3HF

Find out more here.

West London

It's fun choosing your real Christmas tree

5. Richmond Park

Royal Parks has teamed up with Capital Christmas Trees so you can buy your tree in one of three of the capital's parks, including Richmond. You can pick from a variety of non-drop trees including Nordman, Noble and Fraser Fir. The stalls will be a one-stop-shop for decorating your tree with baubles and fairy lights for sale, as well as wreaths and garlands.

Where it is: Roehampton Gate car park, Priory Lane, Richmond Park

Find out more here.

6. Bushy Park

You can also buy your tree in another Royal Park, Bushy Park.

Where: Diana Fountain car park, Chestnut Avenue, Bushy Park, Hampton

Find out more here.

7. Petersham Nurseries, Richmond and Covent Garden

Both branches will be selling Christmas trees. Perhaps while you're there you might enjoy lunch in the cafe or The Teahouse at the Richmond branch or at the La Goccia or The Petersham restaurants at the central London Covent Garden branch.

Where it is: Church Lane, Off Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7AB and Floral Court, Covent Garden, WC2E 9FB

Find out more here.

8. Shoots & Leaves, Ealing, Hammersmith, Fulham, Acton

You can have your tree delivered to your home and put up wherever you want or you can choose your own from one of the sites across west London,where they are taken directly after they are harvested. You can buy them from Brook Green, Hammersmith Broadway, Cleveland Park in West Ealingand Acton Park from November 24 and from Eel Brook Common, Fulham, from December 1. Stands, lights, wreaths, garlands and bundles of spruce and holly are available to buy, too.

Where it is: Cleveland Park, West Ealing, corner of Argyl Road & Cleveland Road, W13 8AH

St Paul’s Church, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith Broadway, W6 9PJ

Eel Brook Common, Fulham, New Kings Road, SW6 4SE

Acton Park, W3 7LJ

Brook Green W6 7PB (next to Tesco)

Find out more here.

9. Clifton Nurseries, Maida Vale

This elegant gardening emporium is a hidden oasis and says it is London's oldest garden centre - it has been around from 1851. It sells Nordmann firs which are grown in Denmark in sustainable forests, where each metre of tree growth takes three years.

Where it is: 5A Clifton Villas, Maida Vale, W9 2PH

Find out more here.

Ever wondered how a Christmas tree makes it's journey fro teh farm to your home? This video explains:

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10. The Chelsea Gardener, Chelsea

This world-famous garden centre run by the Fenwick family is an oasis of green in the heart of Chelsea and is a family business on a site which was once part of The Brompton Hospital. It is again selling Christmas trees this year.

Address: 125 Sydney Street, Chelsea, SW3 6NR

Find out more here.

11. The Palace Gardener, Fulham

You can pick your perfect tree from this garden centre at Fulham Palace, which is also run by the Fenwick family, who own Chelsea Gardener. You can browse the Christmas shop for decorations too.

Where it is: Fulham Palace, Bishop's Avenue, Fulham, SW6 6EE

Find out more here.

12. Rassells of Kensington

This nursery garden and florist has been in Pembroke Square, off the Earls Court Road, since 1897. Each winter it sells Christmas trees to order or to buy from the shop. It delivers trees during the Christmas period to local post codes. You can also by wreaths and garlands, poinsettias, azalea's and Christmas cacti.

Where it is: The Lodge Nursery, 78-80 Earls Court Road, Kensington, W8 6EQ

Find out more here.

13. The Princess Victoria pub, Shepherd's Bush

You'll get a free glass of mulled wine or hot cider when you buy a Christmas Tree from The Princess Victoria. The pub, which is part of the Three Cheers Pub Company, is selling Nordmann firs. When your local boozer is selling real trees you can't really use the excuse you didn't get time to buy one. They are available until Christmas Eve.

Where it is: 165 Stonhouse Street, Shepherd's Bush, SW4 6BJ

Find out more here.

14. One Fine Tree, Fulham

St Matthew's Church in Fulham is where you will find One Fine Tree selling its Nordman firs, from Thursdays to Sundays, from 9am to 9pm. It will deliver to local postcode areas and even put your tree up for you ready to decorate.

Where it is: St Matthew's Church, Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, SW6 2TX

Find out more here.

South London

Everyone likes to get involved decorating the Christmas tree

15. Greenwich Park

As well as Richmond Park and Bushy Park, you can also buy your tree from another Royal Park - Greenwich Park - and everything you need to decorate your home. It is open from November 23 to 25 and then every day from November 28 to December 22.

Where: Blackheath Gate, Greenwich Park

Find out more here.

16. The Avalon and The Abbeville pubs, Clapham, The Rosendale in West Dulwich and The Latchmere in Battersea

These south London pubs owned by Three Cheers Pub Company are also selling Christmas trees and again you can get a fee mulled wine or hot cider into the bargain. They are available daily until Christmas Eve.

Where it is: The Avalon, 6 Balham Hill, Clapham South, SW12 9EB

The Abbeville, 67-69 Abbeville Road, Clapham, SW4 9JW

The Latchmere, 503 Battersea Park Road, Battersea, SW11 3BW

The Rosendale, 65 Rosendale Road, West Dulwich, SE21 8EZ

17. Neals Nurseries, Wandsworth

This nursery garden, at the northern tip of Wandsworth Common, is said to be the largest plant centre in central London. The store is part of the Capital Gardens company and Capital Christmas trees are freshly harvested and taken straight from the growers to the store.

Where it is: Heathfield Road, Wandsworth, SW18 3HR

Find out more here and here.

18. Alleyn Park Garden Centre, West Dulwich

Trees can be pre-ordered in November and if your choice is 6ft or over, your pre-ordered tree can be delivered if you live in the local area. Nordmann trees start arriving in store at the end of November. They are cut from sustainable farms in Scotland and Denmark. Staff will whittle down the base to fit in the stand. The centre has a limited supply of traditional 6ft Norway spruce trees and also sells pot grown Picea pungens ‘Super Blue’ with silvery blue needles.

Where it is: Rear of 77 Park Hall Road, West Dulwich, SE21 8ES

Find out more here.

19. Battersea Flower Station, Battersea

Come Christmas this independent garden centre gets a bit Christmas-tree-tastic, so it says, as its friendly staff sort out customers with trees. Trees can be ordered in store or online and staff will deliver seven days a week to Battersea, Balham, Clapham, Chelsea, Fulham, Wandsworth, Pimlico, Stockwell, Kennington and Nine Elms. Hand-made wreaths are made on a smallholding in Northumberland.

Where it is: 16 Winders Road, Battersea, SW11 3HE - entrance next to 318 Battersea Park Road

Find out more here.

20. Clickmas Trees, Lewisham, Elephant & Castle and Kennington

This husband and wide team have been providing Christmas trees to the Croften Park and Kennington area since 2009, with a mission to help keep the Croften Park community library open. This year they are also selling their trees as part of the Elephant Arena's Christmas event. They deliver all over London.

Where it is: Croften Park Community Library, 375 Brockley Road, Lewisham, SE4 2AG

St Marks Church, 337 Kennington Park Road, Kennington, SE11 4PW

Elephant Arena, 7 Elephant Rd, Elephant & Castle, SE17 1LB

Find out more here.

21. Kings Christmas Trees, Catford, Beckenham, Deptford, Dulwich

When you buy a tree from Kings Christmas Trees all profits will go to the Jericho Road Project which has been helping rough sleepers and housing vulnerable people in south east London for more than 10 years. You can buy your tree from one of four collection sites or get a tree delivered if you live in south east London.

Where it is: Bromley Road Retail Park, Bromley Road, Catford (next to Wren Kitchens), SE6 2QU

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Beckenham, BR3 5DE

Shaftesbury Centre, Frankham Street, Deptford SE8 4RN

JAGS Sports Club, Red Post Hill, Dulwich, London SE24 9JN

North London

The Christmas Forest has stores across London - if you don't have a set of wheels of any sort to get it home you can buy online and have it delivered

22. Camden Garden Centre

11 Downing Street is among Camden Garden Centre's Christmas tree customers. From the end of November every year, Camden Garden Centre is full with Christmas trees ranging from table top size to five metres tall. Varieties include the traditional Norway spruce and Nordmann and Noble firs. You can choose a pot grown tree or cut tree and the trunk can be trimmed to fit the stand. Wreath, holly, mistletoe and garlands are also for sale. For those who don't live in Camden, the store delivers across London and you can order online at its Christmas tree website www.christmastreesdelivered.co.uk.

Where it is: 2 Barker Drive, St Pancras Way, Camden, NW1 0JW.

Find out more here.

23. Alexandra Palace Garden Centre, Muswell Hill

During the festive season the Captital Gardens-owned centre, which is on the southern side of Alexandra Park, is transformed into a magical Christmas themed shop, where you can buy freshly cut and potted Christmas trees. You can also browse through the decorations and lighting.

Where it is: Alexandra Palace Way, London, N22 7BB

Find out more here.

24. N1 Garden Centre, De Beauvoir Town

You'll find rarer, harder-to-find varieties like the Noble, with its naturally frosty hue, at this garden centre as well as slim-line varieties like the Fraser fir. It stocks sizes from 3ft to 11ft so you'll be able to find a tree from a British grower to suit your home, however big or small it is. You can buy wreath, foliage and decorations, too.

Where it is: 25A Englefield Road, De Beauvoir Town, N1 4EU

Find out more here.

25. Sunshine Garden Centre, Bounds Green

Eamon with his brother Mark Loughrey started out by selling Christmas trees in the car park of the closed down Durnsford Road Open Air Swimming Pool in 1989. Now Eamon is still at the helm of Sunshine Garden centre which sells real trees every year. You can also meet Father Christmas every Saturday and Sunday thought December and on Friday, December 21.

Where it is: Durnsford Road, Bounds Green, N11 2EL

Find out more here.

26. Woodman Pub, Highgate

When you pop out for a pint you can pick up your tree at The Woodman. Capital Christmas Trees is stocking the trees for sale here. Perhaps you'll stop for lunch at the cosy pub, too.

Where it is: 414 Archway Road, Highgate, N6 5UA

Find out more here.

27. Paramount Plants & Gardens, Enfield

You can buy living Christmas trees here which you can plant in the garden after Christmas is over. There is an interesting range of species with different shapes and colours from cool blue-grey to deep green.

Where it is: 131 Theobalds Park Road, Crews Hill, Enfield, EN2 9BH

Find out more here.

28. Boma London Garden Centre, Kentish Town

Trees are displayed at the front part of the centre so it's easy to walk in, choose and get them to your car. You can also have them delivered. You can choose from a Nordmann cut tree, Fraser fir cut tree, Norway spruce cut tree or a pot-grown Nordmann.

Where it is: 51-53 Islip Street, Kentish Town, NW5 2DL

Find out more here.

East London

Choosing a Christmas tree is an exciting event - The Christmas Forest has stores across London or you can buy online

29. Broadway Market, Hackney

Every year Broadway Market's Christmas tree shop pops up to sell trees and wreaths. You might want to grab a few other bits and bobs from the market for Christmas while you're there.

Where it is:Broadway Market, Hackney

Find out more here.

30. London Fields Sunday Market, Hackney

Bernards Trees will be at the Sunday market in the run up to Christmas, taking orders for trees freshly cut from an estate in Yorkshire. Delivery and collection is included.

Where it is: London Fields Primary School, Westgate Street, London Fields, Hackney, E8 3RL

Find out more here and here.

31. Growing Concerns, East Hackney

Growing Concerns is hidden between Victoria and Queen Elizabeth Parks next to the Hertford Union Canal and started life as a local residents' gardening club. It is selling trees grown in their pots as well as cut trees and varieties include Nordmann, spruce and Fraser varieties.

Where it is: 2 Wick Lane, Hackney Wick, E3 2NA

Find out more here.

32. Columbia Road Flower Market, Bethnal Green

You can head along for some festive fun mid week when Columbia Road Flower Market hosts Christmas Wednesdays, with trees for sale, carol singing and mulled wine. Christmas Wednesdays run from 5pm to 9pm, starting on November 28.

Where it is: Columbia Road, Bethnal Green, E2 7RG

Find out more here.