Meet the biggest seller of Christmas trees in the country
The Yattendon estate in west Berkshire is England's largest Christmas tree grower
Last updated 15th Dec 2022
No wonder the Yattendon estate describes itself as the 'home of Christmas trees', it's the biggest Christmas tree grower in England
This year 65,000 trees from the estate are being sold around the country and the chances are if you buy a tree in a supermarket it'll be one of theirs.
While 80% of their trade is wholesale the estate also sells direct to the public from their forestry yard outlet just outside the village of Yattendon.
A staggering 1.2 million trees are being grown on the estate in plantations covering 350 acres of Berkshire countryside. This year another 100,000 were planted to keep the supply cycle healthy.
James Hole, Managing-Director of Yattendon Estates, said:
"Because we're in the south of England where growing conditions and soil is variable we can grow different grades of trees to supply the wholesale market, and again the number of trees we harvest varies from between 50,000 in a low year and 140,000 in a high year when we're in the bigger plantation."
On average a Christmas tree grows a foot a year and the estate produce two main varieties the more traditional Norway Spruce and the Nordman fir which is known for its needle rentention.
Sustainability
With fresh trees cutdown sold and thrown away at the end of the festive period there are some that argue about the sustainability around buying a real tree.
But James argues that the cycle of harvesting, and replanting means what they're doing is good for the environment:
"We are addressing sustainability issues around that (single use) by teaming up with recycling so a lot of your listeners will have heard of charities that will come and collect your tree in the new year and all those trees are composted and returned to the land"
James also points out that trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and the carbon that they store in their wood helps slow the rate of global warming.
Final weekend
The team are bracing themselves for the final weekend before Christmas at their retail outlet at Forestry Yard. Amongst their customers this year are Lord and Lady Carnarvon who've placed a giant tree from Yattendon in the saloon of the real Downton Abbey at Highclere Castle.