Parents News Forum
Just what does it take to produce a top quality Christmas tree at Hole Park
Quote from Penny McCarthy on November 22, 2024, 11:36 amDavid Purnell (left) & two of his dedicated team
Christmas is a very special time of year and standing at the heart of celebrations for many families will be a Christmas tree. Perhaps it's one at the centre of your community, in a school or church hall, but most likely it's the festive focal point in your home.
Hole Park Estate, near the village of Rolvenden in Kent, has been providing the finest quality Christmas trees for more than 60 years - one of the few Christmas tree growers based in the county and one where trees can actually be bought direct by the public.
Ten-year cycle
Up to 20,000 trees are planted every year at Hole Park, with roughly a ten-year growth cycle1. Little saplings, no more than 20cms (about eight inches) tall, are taken from selected seed sources that are known to produce the very best format of trees - not too leggy with nice, thick foliage.
At this point the trees are already three years old; it will take another seven years for them to reach a height of seven or eight foot tall, with Hole Park's most popular seller being just six foot. They can then be harvested, and the whole cycle begins again.Constant care
Every tree needs constant, year-round attention during its life, and throughout the year, to maintain its health and to help develop its shape and form because none of these trees would grow to be perfect examples without intervention from the dedicated Hole Park forestry team. This includes regular pruning, bud picking, leader trimming and monitoring for pests and diseases which might harm the growing trees.
According to Estate Foreman, David Purnell (pictured on the left with two of his team), rarely a day goes by when the team is not carrying out tasks in the plantation and even at quieter times during Summer regular checks on the trees will be made. "At our busiest it can mean 14-hour days, even in the depths of winter, but the effort is always worth it when we come to harvest the results."
The plantations - about 65 acres of them - are also a haven for some welcome forms of wildlife too, such as song birds, butterflies and bumble bees. Although the trees are not grown organically, chemical and fertiliser treatments are kept to a minimum.
Harvest preparation
The preparation for harvest starts in August, once the annual growth cycle is complete, with the trees being individually measured and labelled. To help ensure their optimum condition over the Christmas period, the selected trees - around 16,000 each year - are cut at the last possible moment before dispatch to the many outlets which regularly stock Hole Park Christmas trees.
Hundreds will also be made ready for members of the public to buy direct from the Estate's wood yard, with many customers returning year after year due to their exceptional quality. Some Hole Park Christmas trees travel to homes and businesses as far afield as Birmingham and the West Country.
Opening times
Hole Park's wood yard will become a hive of activity this year from Monday 18th November until Friday 20th December 2024, as customers once again start to arrive to choose that special tree which will take its place at the centre of their Christmas celebrations.
The wood yard is open seven days a week from 10am-4pm during this period when foliage - a by-product of the harvest - Christmas wreaths, wood carvings and supplies of the Estate's sustainable firewood are also available.
For more information on Hole Park Christmas trees and the Estate's sustainable firewood, visit: www.holepark.com
David Purnell (left) & two of his dedicated team
Christmas is a very special time of year and standing at the heart of celebrations for many families will be a Christmas tree. Perhaps it's one at the centre of your community, in a school or church hall, but most likely it's the festive focal point in your home.
Hole Park Estate, near the village of Rolvenden in Kent, has been providing the finest quality Christmas trees for more than 60 years - one of the few Christmas tree growers based in the county and one where trees can actually be bought direct by the public.
Ten-year cycle
Up to 20,000 trees are planted every year at Hole Park, with roughly a ten-year growth cycle1. Little saplings, no more than 20cms (about eight inches) tall, are taken from selected seed sources that are known to produce the very best format of trees - not too leggy with nice, thick foliage.
At this point the trees are already three years old; it will take another seven years for them to reach a height of seven or eight foot tall, with Hole Park's most popular seller being just six foot. They can then be harvested, and the whole cycle begins again.
Constant care
Every tree needs constant, year-round attention during its life, and throughout the year, to maintain its health and to help develop its shape and form because none of these trees would grow to be perfect examples without intervention from the dedicated Hole Park forestry team. This includes regular pruning, bud picking, leader trimming and monitoring for pests and diseases which might harm the growing trees.
According to Estate Foreman, David Purnell (pictured on the left with two of his team), rarely a day goes by when the team is not carrying out tasks in the plantation and even at quieter times during Summer regular checks on the trees will be made. "At our busiest it can mean 14-hour days, even in the depths of winter, but the effort is always worth it when we come to harvest the results."
The plantations - about 65 acres of them - are also a haven for some welcome forms of wildlife too, such as song birds, butterflies and bumble bees. Although the trees are not grown organically, chemical and fertiliser treatments are kept to a minimum.
Harvest preparation
The preparation for harvest starts in August, once the annual growth cycle is complete, with the trees being individually measured and labelled. To help ensure their optimum condition over the Christmas period, the selected trees - around 16,000 each year - are cut at the last possible moment before dispatch to the many outlets which regularly stock Hole Park Christmas trees.
Hundreds will also be made ready for members of the public to buy direct from the Estate's wood yard, with many customers returning year after year due to their exceptional quality. Some Hole Park Christmas trees travel to homes and businesses as far afield as Birmingham and the West Country.
Opening times
Hole Park's wood yard will become a hive of activity this year from Monday 18th November until Friday 20th December 2024, as customers once again start to arrive to choose that special tree which will take its place at the centre of their Christmas celebrations.
The wood yard is open seven days a week from 10am-4pm during this period when foliage - a by-product of the harvest - Christmas wreaths, wood carvings and supplies of the Estate's sustainable firewood are also available.
For more information on Hole Park Christmas trees and the Estate's sustainable firewood, visit: http://www.holepark.com