A film designer had a major problem on his hands when a New Zealand movie project folded - 1,000 spare tree ferns. Philip Sharpe, of Bladon, near Woodstock, has plenty of time between his assignments as a special effects designer for big movies, such as the previous James Bond film Die Another Day and Tomb Raider.

So he and two friends decided to set up in business selling the trees to Oxfordshire gardeners.

He said: "I was involved in a failed film project that would have required about 1,000 of these beautiful trees. I had already been to New Zealand, had selected the trees, and the container was already on its way from New Zealand.

"As much as I adore them, I couldn't accommodate 1,000 tree ferns in my garden, so Malinso Tree Ferns was born."

He also works as a wildlife cameraman and director, but like many people in the entertainment business, found he had long rest periods'.

He said: "For 18 months I was working long hours and six-day weeks, and then no work for eight months. Then Batman came along - it's either feast or famine, and after 24 years in the business, I wanted something more stable."

His wildlife work had taken him to New Zealand several times, and when he was asked to create a set for a historical film of the country, he knew just where to look for greenery.

He explained: "Once it was organised and arranged, the whole thing got cancelled, so we decided to sell the trees."

A keen gardener for more than 20 years, Mr Sharpe already owned eight tree ferns.

He said peoples' main worry about tree ferns - that they would not survive an English winter - was unfounded. "Ours are pretty sturdy, about nine feet tall, and they they should be fine here, especially since our winters are growing milder."

His business partners are mortgage adviser John Barden, who acted as financier, and Mr Sharpe's partner, Lesley Graham.

He said: "It is a little less stressful than the film industry, though handling the first container full of tree ferns was quite a task.

"Due to stiff guidelines set down by Defra, the trees had to be topped and tailed, power-washed, chemically dipped twice, fumigated, and examined by officials.

"After clearance from Customs they came to our small nursery here in Bladon, where they have been potted and have already started putting out new fronds."

Most tree ferns available in the UK are the species Dicksonia antarctica, while Malinso specialises in three species found only in New Zealand - Dicksonia squarrosa, Cyathea dealbata and Cyathea smithii, which they say are more elegant and faster growing. They are priced from £150.

"Our most popular tree is Dicksonia squarrosa. It is a more elegant species with a broader spread of fronds."

Contact: See www.malinso.com or call 01993 813007, or e-mail philip@malinso.com