Adopt an Olive Tree - Christmas Gift idea

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Adopt an olive tree

Or plant a new one!

A great gift idea for anyone who appreciates good olive oil. You can now adopt any one of our 200 olive trees - or choose to plant a new olive tree in the centre of our olive grove.

We have trees of all ages, from 3 years old to more than 150 years old. While the youngest are of course too little to produce any fruit, the biggest grand-daddy trees can produce over 200 kg of raw olives in a season.

Take a look at our Adoption Register and choose a tree you like. Each tree has its own story : having cared for the trees and pruned them since 2005, we feel we know every one personally.

Unlike other 'adopt a tree' schemes in other countries, this is an ACTIVE ADOPTION which means we begin a programme of record keeping which documents the history of the tree as it grows. We photograph your tree every year at harvest time, or when we have pruned it. Just like a person, your tree will change shape and grow throughout its lifetime - and it will all be recorded for as long as you wish to continue the adoption. You can also add a personal message or even rename your tree!

Although there are potentially 200 trees available for adoption, we have kept the Adoption Register deliberately small for now. This enables us to showcase a variety of trees of different ages - so you don't have to look through our entire stock, which could take some time!

We will regularly add more trees to the adoption Register.

And if you should decide to visit your tree, you are invited to stay in our beautiful holiday villas in the olive grove. For details and prices, please visit our sister website www.rentavilla-crete.com

Adopt a tree and you get:

* Personalised Adoption Certificate, (incorporating a hi-res photo) delivered by post and ready for framing. Ideal Gift!

* Annual update & photo(s) of your tree, at the time of harvest. We begin a Photographic History of your tree, displayed on this website in our Gallery of Trees.

* An annual amount of extra virgin olive oil from your tree and others in the olive grove. The bigger the tree, the more oil you receive!

* FREE 'extra-person' upgrade worth £50 (UK Pounds) on any villa accommodation throughout the season.

* £50 discount on Olive Picking Holidays (subject to availability)

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Adoption Register: Gallery of Trees

Every tree in our olive grove is an individual. That's why we have named them all - according to how they look and a little of the history that we know of them. Some are classic trees with a gorgeous shape; some are very old and knarly; some are young and wriggly! Many are amazing suvivors, having grown back from being ruthlessly cut down and burned by a brutal builder before we built our villas. Choose your tree according to its unique personality. Or match the personality of someone you know and give them this Adoption as a unique gift!

'FIND ME A TREE' SERVICE. Can't see a suitable tree below? Email us with a description of the personality you wish to match and the amount you wish to spend (either £39, £49, £66 or £99) and we will search our stock of trees.

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Note: All prices are exclusive of postage. You are welcome to collect in person if you are passing near our UK offices in Altrincham, Cheshire (South Manchester) or near Buxton, Derbyshire.

	Tree AS001: 'The Classic Beauty' A lovely shaped olive tree, very attractive because she is so beautifully proportioned. A genuine charming lady with an easy grace. Her beauty will be maintained next harvest with the help of a discreet 'nip and tuck' prune through the her central branches. Located to front of Villa Asteria. Age approx 100 years
	Tree AN003: 'The Ageing Amputee' One of the older trees that is still going strong depite enduring tough times which required drastic surgery! Evidence of some major limbs missing, yet he is still very active and certainly not down or out. Will probably live forever! Located to side of Villa Angelos. Age approx 130 years.
	Tree AN007: 'The Greatest Survivor' Possibly the oldest tree in our grove, this tree has had a very hard life after being recklessly cut down by a Greek 'Mad Axe' builder in 2005. However, the lower trunk remained intact and was one of the first trees to grow back - much to our delight and amazement. He is strong and tough! Located to rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 150 years	ADOPT ME? * adoption certificate (includes hi-res photo) * Personalised entry in Gallery of Trees & annual photo updates on this website * 6 x 500 ml extra virgin olive oil, delivered FRESH after each harvest (2 bottles per year) worth a total of £53.94 * FREE £50 'extra-person' upgrade on any villa holiday plus £50 discount on Olive Picking Activity Holiday 3 years adoption for £99
	Tree AN023: 'Kid Rejuvenated!' A fast growing creature that refused to lie down and die! After its parent tree fell victim to the Mad Axe Builder, this strong little soul grew back from the root. We have carefully nurtured and pruned him into a single main stem with three branches so he will grow strong and true. Located to extreme rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 5 years
	Tree AS008: 'Multi-tasking Marvel' This tree has a lot going on in her life. With three trunks instead of one, it seems she is trying to live three lifes all at once. Is she succeeding? Yes, we think so! Photo taken March 2010 after some light pruning. Located to rear of Villa Asteria. Age approx 30 years
	Tree FS006 : 'Little Lost Lollipop' She may look small and lost, but this tree is ready to grow into a giant. She's one of our newest additions to the grove, having been planted in our Olive Tree Nursery around the side of villa Selene. She's young so she requires plenty of watering by Mark and Andy until her roots become established. One to watch, as she's in great shape! Located to rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 3 years.
	Tree FS008: 'The Little Rocket' Another refugee from the Great Greek Mad Axe Cull of 2005, this tree emerged blinking into the sunlight from seemlingly nowhere. She quickly shot up from the remains of an underground root, almost before anyone had noticed. Suddenl;y she had arrived! She quickly grew, almost literally from nothing, into one of our favourite youngsters. Located to side of Villa Fos. Age approx 5 years	ADOPT ME? * adoption certificate (includes hi-res photo) * Entry in Gallery of Trees & photo update by email and on this website * 2 x 250 ml extra virgin olive oil worth £11.98 ... 1 year adoption for £39
	Tree FS012: 'The Lucky Escapee' This fine fellow had a lucky escape from certain death when our builders wanted to cut him down because of access problems. But he is part of a lovely community of trees in an avenue between two villas. Phew! A last minute reprieve (and alternative access for the builders) meant he lives on, producing around 50 kg of olives when in season. Located between Villas Fos and Selene. Age approx 40 years	ADOPT ME? * adoption certificate (includes hi-res photo) * Entry in Gallery of Trees & regular photo updates by email and on this website * 4 x 250 ml extra virgin olive oil, delivered FRESH after each harvest (2 bottles per year) worth a total of £23.96 * Free £50 'extra-person' upgrade on any villa holiday plus £50 discount on Olive Picking Activity Holiday 2 years adoption for £66
	Tree FS015: 'Young High Flyer' This tree is a joy to prune because he has plenty of healthy branches growing in all the right directions and very little 'fraz' (unwanted shoots) at the base. He's heading for high places as there are no big bully neighbouring trees to overshadow and steal his limelight. He has true space to grow and develop into a magnificent tree. Located to the rear of Villas Fos and Selene. Age approx 5 years
	Tree HE001: 'The Handsome Rogue' Foppish with an attractive fringe? Yep, that's this guy: the Hugh Grant of olive trees, lounging right outside Villa Helios. This gorgeous beast of a tree is another productive giant, giving around 90 kg of raw olives in a good year. Expect a trim through his middle parting, though, come next harvest. Located to front of Villa Helios. Age approx 80 years
	Tree HE009: 'The Drunken Ex-pat' This plucky little fellow literally 'upped sticks' and left his native land where Villa Selene now stands. Using a bulldozer we carefully dug him out so he could emigrate to foreign climes 150 metres away to the garden around Villa Helios. However, he now likes a good drink - needing regular irrigation over the hot summer months until his roots become re-established. Located to rear of Villa Helios. Age approx 50 years
	Tree HE012: 'The Water Babe' This lady tree stands bang in the middle of our flood defences, so when the rains come every year she's often up to her neck in the raging torrent that rushes between the villas. She seems happy enough, though, spreading her branches in delight as she luxuriates in the warm wetness she has craved throughout the long and very hot summer. Located to the side of Villa Helios. Age approx 90 years.	ADOPT ME? * adoption certificate (includes hi-res photo) * Entry in Gallery of Trees & regular photo updates by email and on this website * 4 x 250 ml extra virgin olive oil, delivered FRESH after each harvest (2 bottles per year) worth a total of £23.96 * Free £50 'extra-person' upgrade on any villa holiday plus £50 discount on Olive Picking Activity Holiday 2 years adoption for £66
	Tree FY001: 'Isabelle' Our first 'Forever Yours' planted tree. A lovely new arrival planted between Villa Fos and Villa Selene, now safely rooted, and nestling under the protection of two mature olive trees. Age approx 3 years.
	Tree AN024: 'Tree Of Empathy' This tree is another that has regrown from almost nothing to the fine specimen you see here. The main trunk forms a protective arc over the delicate plants below, offering a supportive environment for other life forms to grow - a shelter from the withering effect of the scorching Cretan sun. It is a visual reminder of the need to recognise and share the feelings of others (empathy). Located to extreme rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 5 years
	Tree FY002-AS This strong sapling is newly planted on the west side of Villa Asteria. It has easily taken to the rich, fertile soil and is expected to grow quickly into a tall bushy tree. After 5 years the middle will be pruned away so light can shine into the centre. This will help it become more productive, while attaining a classic olive tree shape. Our 2nd 'Forever Yours' Planting, for Nick & Emma Geary
	Sponsor the planting of a new tree in our olive grove and name it after anyone special to you. Your sponsorship will NEVER EXPIRE, and the name you give the tree - and your dedication - will continue for the lifetime of the tree.	PLANT A TREE? * Planting Certificate with photo sent to you by post - reday for framing * Photographic record of your tree uploaded to this website * 1 x 500 ml bottle of this seasons FRESH extra virigin olive oil from the grove * Your sponsorship pays for a 2 year old sapling, includes nurturing and watering over the hot summers until its root system is established Forever yours, only £49