‘Tree-mendous Year for Our Christmas Trees’:
Hole Park Says This Year’s Crop Is ‘Better Than Ever’ Despite Summer Drought.
As Hole Park in Rolvenden, Kent, gets ready to begin its Christmas tree sales on Thursday 20 November, the team is pleased to announce that the quality of this year’s trees will be outstanding.
Although there have been widespread concerns that this season’s Christmas trees could be “gappy” due to the extended drought, owner Edward Barham reports that the reduced rainfall has had only a minimal effect on the plantations at Hole Park.
Edward Barham in Hole Park's Nordman Fir plantation earlier this month
Photo: Helen Douglas
“When we did have rain this region’s clay soil did an excellent job of retaining moisture so that we have lost only a handful of trees to defoliation from stress. We’re also delighted with the condition of the trees we’ve identified for sale and we can safely say that their quality is better than ever.”
For more than 60 years, Hole Park has been cultivating and selling premium Christmas trees, with Edward and his estate team managing the extensive plantations that span roughly 100 acres. Each year, up to 20,000 saplings are planted across the estate. These young trees typically take around seven years to reach a height of seven to eight feet, with approximately 16,000 mature trees harvested annually.
The team has already begun gathering this year’s crop to meet regular commercial orders, supplying trees destined for Christmas grottos and the grand rooms of historic houses throughout the country during the festive season.
Large trees being netted for sale
Photo: Tom Bunning
This will be swiftly followed by orders from wholesale outlets both in the local area and farther afield, ahead of Hole Park launching its annual direct-to-public sales in the Estate Yard from 20 November to 20 December, open daily from 10am to 4pm.
Hole Park remains one of the few Christmas tree growers in Kent where customers can purchase directly from the grower, and it is the only grower in the county that is a member of Produced in Kent.
Large trees being netted for sale
Photo: Tom Bunning
The Nordman Fir remains the best-selling Christmas tree variety at Hole Park—and indeed throughout the UK. But for those seeking something a little different this year, Edward and his team recommend exploring several other varieties grown on the estate.
These will be available exclusively through direct sales at Hole Park and are not typically found in garden centres:
Serbian Spruce – elegant 5ft and 6ft trees with an attractive, natural shape
Lasciocarpa – distinguished by striking silvery-blue needles and a soft, pleasant fragrance
Douglas Fir – beautifully shaped trees offering a slightly stronger scent than the Nordman
Further details about Hole Park Christmas trees and sustainably sourced firewood can be found on the Hole Park website: www.holepark.com