Visitors to Oxford Botanic Gardens annual Christmas Fair are in for a treat. Because not only is the Christmas Fair packed with 50 handpicked stalls bursting with festive gifts, alongside live music, craft activities, garden trails, mulled wine and delicious hot food, but it’s where the new Black Pine Collection is being launched.
Only available at the OBG boutique (except for one pair of limited edition cufflinks worth £125 which are up for grabs on DEC 10 in the OXINABOXMAS CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY), witness the unveiling of the new limited-edition range handcrafted from its legendary Black Pine tree, as revered by Oxford authors JRR Tolkien and Philip Pullman.
Planted in the early 1830s, the iconic Black Pine became one of the OBG’s most cherished specimens. It met a tragic end in 2014 when it shed two massive branches and had to be felled for safety reasons.
Long associated with to JRR Tolkien, who was said to sit and write beneath its branches, creating his ‘Ents’ (giant talking trees) in homage, it was also a source of inspiration for another world-famous author; featuring at the end of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy when heroine Lyra is described sitting beneath the Black Pine – testament to its enduring place in the Oxford’s literary imagination.
JRR Tolkien was said to sit and write beneath the black pine’s branches, creating his ‘Ents’ (giant talking trees) in homage
The OBG kept and seasoned the wood and to honour its extraordinary legacy, is now offering the opportunity to own a piece of this famous tree in the form of The ‘Black Pine Collection’
Featuring 10 exquisitely designed products made from the preserved wood, every item is branded with an exclusive Stanley Donwood tree motif (Donwood created all the artwork for the Oxford rock band Radiohead, with singer Thom Yorke). The full range includes cufflinks, writers’ boxes, paper weights, letter racks, pen pots, pen trays, coasters, bookmarks, fern and acorn decorations. Prices range from £20 – £145.
Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy features heroine Lyra described as sitting beneath the Black Pine
The ‘Black Pine Collection’ will be unveiled at the Oxford Botanic Garden’s Christmas Fair this weekend (Dec 6-7), the fair a highlight in the Oxford’s Christmas calendar, enjoyed by many for the original artisan products on sale, the unique food and drink offering, and the lively entertainment, all set in the OBG’s beautiful surroundings.
But don’t worry, the tree continues to live on in the OBG. On June 8 2021, HM King Charles III (then HRH Prince of Wales) planted a new Black Pine raised from a seed of the original tree.
IN 2021 HM King Charles III (then HRH Prince of Wales) planted a new Black Pine raised from a seed of the original tree.
Professor Simon Hiscock, Director of the Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum, said: “We saved much of the famous Black Pine’s wood to one day turn into unique products for the tree’s many fans who asked if they could buy a piece, so I am delighted that we are able to launch this new ‘Black Pine Collection’ at our Christmas Fair. Each item is a unique fragment of botanical, cultural, and literary history – destined to become a treasured keepsake.’
The limited edition ‘Black Pine Collection’ is only available on-site from the Botanic Garden Boutique and the OXINABOXMAS CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY. The BOTANIC GARDEN BOUTIQUE will be open at the Christmas Fair (6-7 December). Book tickets here www.obga.ox.ac.uk/event/christmas-fair-2025
