Christmas Tree Plantations
Rougham Estate has been growing Christmas Trees for well over forty years and is an acknowledged expert in the field
Growing Christmas Trees
Trees from the Rougham Estate are famous for their quality and longevity, having been carefully nurtured throughout the year. We grow predominantly both Nordmann Fir and Norway Spruce and also some Blue Spruce, Fraser Fir and Nobel Fir.
The Christmas trees are cultivated here on the Estate as a sustainable horticultural crop, with thousands of new trees planted each year on about 20 hectares of land. The trees take about 10 years to reach 6ft, providing a habitat for wildlife during the growing years.
The Estate is pleased to be a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association.
About the trees
Nordmann Fir
This is the most popular tree in Scandinavia and rapidly gaining in popularity here in the UK. As people put up their trees earlier and earlier the need for needle retention gets more important. Nordmann Fir retain their needles better than other trees, so for many customers, this makes them a winner.
Norway Spruce
These traditional Christmas trees have a really festive scent. We advise you not to bring them indoors too soon and they will require watering to stay fresh. Norway Spruce are not cut for Christmas until the end of the first week of December.
Planting
Growing Christmas trees is a meticulous, year-round process.
To maintain a steady supply, we have around 60,000 trees growing at various stages of development at any given time.
Our trees begin life as three-year-old bare-root sprigs, typically 15-20cm tall, sourced from Scandinavian nurseries which are known for their superior genetics.
These young trees are planted on the Estate in well-spaced beds, about 1.2m apart, to allow proper growth.
In the early stages they grow slowly and require protection from wildlife like deer and rabbits, necessitating fenced plantations.
Growing
Regular weeding during the first couple of years is essential to prevent competitive plants from sapping vital water, nutrients, and sunlight.
Once a tree reaches 2-3 feet we begin shaping it to achieve the classic conical Christmas tree form. This involves controlling the leader at the top of the tree to prevent overly sparse growth, trimming side branches for symmetry, and performing bud-rubbing which encourages denser foliage and a bushier tree.
These steps ensure that our trees meet the highest aesthetic standards.
Cutting
Sustainability is a priority in our operations. As trees mature, we thin out selected ones for sale at Blackthorpe Barn.
Others are cleared out of the Christmas tree beds to remove ailing trees, creating space for others to continue growing. All the wood chip is recycled and turned into biomass woodchip to generate energy.
Once an entire bed has been harvested, the area is replanted with new Christmas trees, restarting the growth cycle while retaining the carbon sequestered by the previous trees.
This approach ensures a constant and environmentally responsible supply of Christmas trees.
Trees at Christmas
Rougham Estate is pleased to provide trees, not only to local families, but also to locations in the area.
In 2002 Rougham Estate became British Christmas Tree Grower of the Year and provided the magnificent tree that stood outside No 10 Downing Street in central London, and in 2004 and 2006 also.
One of the trees going from the Estate to Bury St Edmunds town centre.
Transporting the trees.
The decorated tree at Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds.
Trees from Rougham Estate
Christmas trees have been grown on Rougham Estate for decades now. No trees are taken from exisiting woodlands. We are pleased to be a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association.
Cut trees are available from the end of November each year, with an opportunity to come and choose your tree on one of our plantations on two weekends in early November (booking essential). You can also find tips on how to look after your tree on the Christmas Tree Sales page.
