Choose a meaningful beginning
Request a future ceremony date as the Origin Date, subject to availability and acceptance. The recorded date represents sowing, not germination or a guaranteed date of permanent planting.
Christening & naming day tree gifts
A christening tree gift for a life just beginning
Mark a child’s christening, naming day or naming ceremony with a living tree connected to a date that matters, and give its early story time to take root.
Enquire about a christening tree“A beginning to honour, and a future to grow into.”
A meaningful gift from family or godparents
A christening or naming ceremony gathers the people who will be part of a child’s life. A tree can make a thoughtful, lasting gesture for the occasion—especially when a garden, planting space or time for a young tree is not yet part of family life.
For a Private Commission, you may request a future Origin Date connected with the ceremony. The Origin Date is the day the seed is sown and recorded in the Arbora Registry; it is not necessarily the day the seed germinates or is planted in its permanent home. Arbora reviews each request before accepting it.
After sowing, a personalised Certificate of Planting is sent as the first keepsake. The young tree remains in nursery care while it establishes, then follows when the tree is ready or on a pre-agreed date. A past ceremony date cannot be recreated by sowing; you can instead look for an available Registry tree with a matching recorded date.
The Arbora difference
A gift with its beginning carefully held
A first gift after sowing
The £295 Origin Commission includes a personalised Certificate of Planting sent after sowing, a Registry record and number, a Private Commission Confirmation before the Origin Date, and dedicated early nursery care.
A tree for its future setting
English oak, silver birch, rowan and European beech are among the available species. Mature size, soil, aspect and planting space matter; discuss the recipient’s setting and suitability before choosing.
Living trees grow at different rates. Delivery timing is planned with you and remains subject to the tree becoming safely established.
Explore other occasions
A living gift for another meaningful date
Your questions
Questions about this gift
Is a tree suitable for a christening or naming ceremony?
It can be a thoughtful gift for either occasion. The tree is not presented as a religious item; it is a living gift connected to a recorded date, with its species, provenance and Registry identity recorded as its story begins.
Can I give a tree sown on the ceremony date?
You can request a future christening or naming day as the Origin Date. Arbora must review and accept the requested date and commission before sowing. The Origin Date means the seed’s recorded sowing date, not necessarily germination or planting in the recipient’s garden.
What can godparents or family present on the day?
For an accepted commission, Arbora provides a Private Commission Confirmation before the Origin Date. The personalised Certificate of Planting is sent after sowing, so it cannot confirm that sowing has already happened before that date. Please discuss what you would like to present and when.
When will the living tree arrive?
The tree stays in nursery care while it establishes. It follows once established or on a pre-agreed date, as described for the Origin Commission; the appropriate timing depends on the tree and its destination. Confirm a suitable delivery plan before proceeding—an immediate arrival or a particular ceremony date is not promised.
Can I commission a tree for a child’s birth date or an earlier ceremony?
A Private Commission can only be sown on a future date; a tree cannot be retrospectively sown. Commissioning for an expected due date also cannot guarantee that the child will be born that day. For a past date, search the Registry Collection for an available tree with that recorded Origin Date; a match is subject to availability.
What happens if my requested date or tree is unavailable?
Arbora reviews dates, species and commission requests before accepting them. If the requested date or species cannot be offered, ask about another future date or an available tree in the Registry Collection. A past date cannot be recreated by sowing.
What is included, and what does the Origin Commission cost?
The Origin Commission is currently listed at £295. Its stated inclusions are sowing on the accepted future Origin Date, a Private Commission Confirmation before that date, a Registry record and unique number, a personalised Certificate of Planting after sowing, dedicated early nursery care, an engraved brass plaque, an Arbora care guide and luxury presentation packaging for the tree’s arrival. Confirm any delivery or destination-related charges and the final arrangements directly with Arbora before commissioning.
What kind of space will the recipient eventually need?
The right setting depends on the species and its mature size, as well as soil, aspect and local conditions. These trees are not all suited to every small garden or container. Discuss the intended planting space with Arbora before selecting a species, and plan for the recipient to have a suitable permanent location when the tree is ready.
How is an Arbora tree different from a woodland dedication?
An Arbora commission is for an individual tree with a Registry record and, after sowing, a Certificate of Planting; the living tree remains in nursery care before its later delivery. It is not described here as a woodland dedication or as a promise of planting a tree in a named woodland. Check the specific terms of any woodland-dedication offer separately.
Begin with the date that matters
Request a private commission and tell us about the occasion, the date and the tree you have in mind. We will confirm what can responsibly be offered.
Enquire about a christening tree