The best Christmas tree farms to visit this season
Christmas is fast approaching and many of us will be heading out to find this year’s Christmas tree. Advice from Forestry England is to prepare for your Christmas centrepiece by measuring your ceiling height and subtracting around 12 inches for your tree topper, as well as considering the tree’s diameter and the size of the room.
Check the needles and branches
Before buying, make sure your tree is healthy and won’t lose all its needles before the 25th of December. Check the needles and branches are fresh by gently pulling a branch towards you to make sure needles aren’t already falling off.
Buying locally is best if you can, so here’s our selection of the best local Christmas tree farms selling trees across our region:
BEDFORDSHIRE
West End Farm, Stagsden
For over 30 years this farm in Stagsden has grown and sold premium Christmas Trees. Located on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire border between Bedford and Milton Keynes, this is farm is part of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. They also sell stylish decorations in their converted stables and walled Victorian gardens and offer free delivery on orders over £50.
www.stagsdenchristmastrees.co.uk
Badger Hill Christmas Tree Farm, Maulden
This family-farm has been growing crops in the Maulden area of central Bedfordshire for over a century and is now a proud member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. You can walk through the fields and choose a tree to fell yourself, and which can be netted for transportation. All sizes of trees are available, along with a selection of stands and holly wreaths.
https://www.badgerhillchristmastreefarm.co.uk/
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Welford Christmas Tree Farm
A member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, this family run farm on the border between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire has been growing and supplying real Christmas trees to customers for over 20 years. Along with 60,000 trees, there is also a shop and café, and Santas’s Grotto with reindeer. It does get busy so you’ll need to a book a time slot for visiting at the weekend.
www.welfordchristmastreefarm.co.uk
Evenley Christmas Trees, Evenley
Locally grown Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes are available every day in the car park of The Red Lion pub in the village of Evenley. Choose your tree and then warm up by the roaring log fire in the pub over-looking the village green.
Boughton House, Kettering
Boughton House sells premium British-grown Nordmann Fir Christmas trees, alongside handmade wreaths, tree stands, decorations, and gifts. Visitors can choose from a variety of the trees, known for their needle retention, from 4ft to 9ft. Smaller, potted options are also available.
HERTFORDSHIRE
Lannock Christmas Trees, Hitchin
Open from now until Christmas Day, Lannock Manor Farm is the place to find a freshly cut, Hertfordshire-grown tree. The family-run farm is in the village of Weston and its trees are freshly cut in the Chiltern Hills. You can walk through the woodland and pick your perfect tree, all £35. Delivery is available. The farm is open from 10am to 7pm weekdays and 10am to 5pm weekends.
Chesham Christmas Tree Farm, Chesham
One of the largest Christmas tree growers in the southeast of England, this family-run farm has been growing Christmas trees for almost three decades and plants at least one new tree for every one sold. Festive lights and tree stands are available to buy too and they’re open seven days a week from late November until the end of December.
The Walled Garden, Standstead Bury Farm, Stanstead Abbots
The sustainable way to do Christmas. Trees are available to rent from the Walled Garden farm and will be delivered to your door with roots still attached. After Christmas it will be collected and replanted ready to rent again the following year. This year the trees are still growing and most of them are 3-4ft. tall.
Hatfield Christmas Trees, Hatfield House
From budget trees to potted trees and traditional firs, you’ll find them here. You can choose and take away or get free local delivery. Trees are all shapes and sizes and cater for all price ranges, starting from £20 upwards. Open seven days a week up to Christmas Eve, from 9am to 8pm.
www.hatfieldchristmastrees.co.uk
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Thrift Wood, Whaddon, Milton Keynes
Thrift Wood Christmas Trees is a family run business that has been part of the local community for decades. Set in a 75-acre woodland on the edge of Milton Keynes, all the trees are British-grown. Christmas wreaths and festive gifts are also available.
Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees, Stoke Lodge Farm
Now in its twentieth year, this Christmas tree farm near Newport Pagnell invites you to pick a homegrown Nordmann Fir or Norway Spruce straight from the field. Freshly cut, they net them and help you load on to the car.
www.stokegoldingtonchritsmastrees.co.uk
WARWICKSHIRE
Warwickshire Christmas Tree Farm
Based near Shenington on the Warwickshire/Oxfordshire border, this family-run farm provides locally grown trees ranging from 3ft to 20ft tall, cut fresh from the field or potted. On arrival at the farm, you will be given a tree tag and a stapler. Nominate your favourite tree by tagging it, and one of the team will then bring it to the barn for trimming and netting. If you can return the tree to them after Christmas, they will chip it to make compost for the field.
Crocker’s Christmas Trees, Holt Road, Southam
This small family business has been growing Christmas trees in the 8-acre field next to their house since 2000. Mainly Norway Spruce and Nordmann Firs, with a few Blue Spruce, 3000 new trees are planted every year. The plantation has around 25,000 trees of various shapes and sizes to fit every home.
www.crockerchristmastrees@hotmail.com
Keep your tree trimmed, watered and cool
To give your Christmas tree the best chance of staying healthy across the festive season, you should:
Trim the trunk: The seller can usually do this for you. If they don’t, saw about a centimetre off the trunk as this will get rid of any hardened sap. If you don’t have the space or equipment to trim, get your tree in water as quickly as possible.
Keep it watered: Your Christmas tree needs to be kept in water all the time, so find a sturdy stand or base and check the water levels every day.
Avoid overheating: Try to keep your Christmas tree away from radiators and other heat sources. Constant heat will dry it out quickly.
