THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 25, 1994 TAG: 9412250054
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Long after most people have thrown out their Christmas trees, Marja-Leena LaVigne will still be enjoying her live evergreen.
In fact, the Virginia Beach woman has not stopped enjoying last year's cut tree.
After soaking her Food Lion tree in a homemade preservative last November, the 6-foot fir remains alive and well. Although the limbs are a little droopy, all of the tree's needles are perfectly in place.
Trimmed in red and green velvet bows, the miracle tree has become a celebrity and is now on display in the window of LaVigne's shop, Scantastic, in Norfolk's Waterside.
``It's fantastic,'' she said. ``I can't believe it's still alive.''
LaVigne attributes the tree's longevity to a secret potion she concocted with the same vitamins and pain-killers she takes. The recipe is based on an ``old wive's tale from Finland,'' she said.
Besides the solution, LaVigne gave the tree daily doses of classical music and weekly waterings. At the end of July, she picked the shiny bows, clear glass balls, Victorian dolls and pearl strands from the branches, and moved the tree from her living room to her sun deck. She redecorated it with silk sunflowers and black bows for a pool party.
Her guests were surprised by the story. ``They think I'm eccentric. . . even though I'm conservative,'' LaVigne said.
Three months in the sun and the tree turned brown. ``It got sort of sunburned,'' LaVigne said, ``but the needles didn't fall out.''
After a short stay in the garage without water, the tree got the royal treatment when LaVigne sprayed it gold and moved it to her store. She recently began watering it again, but ``I don't know if it's drinking,'' she said. ``I think it's aging now.''
If the tree continues to keep its needles, LaVigne said she will display it again next year. She is not too concerned, however, since she has soaked her new tree in the same solution, hoping for even better results.
``Maybe this one will stay green forever,'' she said. ``Isn't that why they call them evergreens?'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/Staff
Marja-Leena LaVigne straightens an ornament on her year-old
Christmas tree on Thursday at Scantastic, her store in Waterside.
The tree was treated with a solution of vitamins and pain-killers
concocted by Lavigne, and remains alive despite its lack of roots or
soil.
by CNB