I've been telling Justin for a few years now that one of these Christmases, I was going to have myself a pink flocked tree!

My dad was telling me the other day how grandma insisted on a flocked tree, one Christmas in nineteen-sixty-something. They brought it into the house, put it in the Christmas tree stand, and their Airedale promptly lifted his leg. Just like that they had a yellow flocked tree. I think that dogs must think this is our Christmas gift to them: indoor bathroom. Anyway, I just think it's cool that flocked trees were the thing, some fifty years ago, and they have recently come back into popularity.

Look, it's 2014, and I really wanted to cross a flocked {pink, preferably} tree off my list before the world ends. I think I've wanted one ever since Blueprint put one on the cover of their magazine. So, yesterday we piled into the Volvo and headed up I-25 to 58th, where Paulino Gardens is. Paulino Gardens is the most amazing garden center on his side of the Continental Divide. It has to be.

Even if you don't need a plant, go there just for the experience. Or for gifts.

We saw a few flocked trees were in the front, but most of them we were told were in a warehouse in the back. So we ventured through the tropical plants...

...through the forsest of shaped trees and citrus trees...
{yeah...they have lemon trees for sale...as if this is Arizona or something...it smelled wonderful}

...through the caves of cacti...

...through the troves of terrariums...

...through pastures of poinsettias...
{have you EVER seen so many poinsettias?!}

...and eventually we ended up back outside at the front, and were directed to walk through and behind the building again...look, this place it ginormous...we bought our wisteria here last summer. It's even more amazing during spring and summer.

I'm not done with the poinsettias. Look at the leaf covered planters these babies reside in! Beautiful.

Finally, there is was. Nondescript and unassuming. Warehouse #7. Dun dun dun!

Home of the flocked trees.

In every color. "We'll be flocking more tomorrow," they said. "So if you don't find the color or size you want, we can take an order."

I got poor little Violet's hopes up about the pink tree think. I thought that was what I wanted. Violet is a princess face girly-girl through and through. She amazes me. Tough, bruiser, spider-killer...but she is ALL about the makeup and princesses. I adore that strawberry hair...now if only it'd start growing.

Paxton kept walking up to the black flocked Christmas tree. It actually was sort of pretty because it was covered in sparkles and looked like a starry sky at midnight, but in this photo it just screams goth.

We wandered around warehouse #7 while discussing the pros and cons of both white and pink flocked trees, only to find another greenhouse filled with MORE POINSETTIAS in the back! Is the rest of the world missing its poinsettias? Paulino Gardens is hoarding them ALL.

Finally, we picked a white flocked tree. After seeing just how pink the pink flocked trees were, I decided all my equally colorful ornaments might look garish on a bright pink flocked tree. Some trees were more flocked than others, we decided we didn't care for the ones that were 100% covered in whatever the flock flocking is. We liked the ones where the natural tree could also show through some. A tree that looked like it had literally just endured a light dusting of snow.

I still think Paxton preferred the goth tree...

We actually had priced shopped a bit, and it turns out Paulino had not only the better selection--compared to nearby tree lots--but also better prices on flocked trees. I think it's because they do their own flocking. {I'm really trying here, people.} You can get really little ones starting at $30. I mean really little though. We definitely paid more than we usually would for a tree, but it was just one of those things I wanted to experience in life.

They tied it onto our car and we headed home to decorate it.

I can't wait to show you how our flocked tree looks with all my sickeningly sweet ornaments covering it. I'm so glad we got a flocked tree, it's absolutely beautiful all lit up and decked out.

To be continued...


Cheers,
Heather