It’s fir real: time to get your Yorkshire-grown Christmas tree

All Christmas trees sold at the council-owned garden centre are grown at Stockeld Park in Wetherby, which cares for 500,000 trees each year.

The Arium have been selling Stockeld trees since 2018, making sure that people in Leeds have easy access to high-quality Christmas trees that are grown locally.

Most of the Christmas trees at Stockeld are Nordmann firs, the most popular option in the UK. Favoured for its straight central trunk and symmetry, the Nordmann’s needles stay on the branches for up to 20 years, longer than any other fir tree.

Stockeld also grow Norway spruce in smaller numbers, which was the traditional Victorian Christmas tree after it was introduced to England in 1841 by Prince Albert. Although it has reduced in popularity in recent years it is still loved by those wanting that signature festive Christmas scent.

After establishing themselves in the soil, a Christmas tree grows about a foot per year, with an average six-to-seven-foot tree being around 10 years old.

The Arium will be selling both Nordmann firs and Norway spruces from 22 November, alongside other Christmas plants like poinsettias and amaryllis, as well as Christmas decorations.

The Leeds City Council-run garden centre and plant nursery is the largest local authority nursery in the country. Most of the plants they sell are grown in the massive 19,000 square metre glasshouses on the premises, and the site provides flowers and plants to be displayed across Leeds.  

Once the festive celebrations are over both St Gemma's and Sue Ryder hospices in Leeds offer their services to collect Christmas trees in early January, from selected postcodes.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “For the eighth year in a row we’re delighted to be selling locally grown Stockeld Christmas trees at The Arium.

“We want to make sure that the people of Leeds have easy access to high-quality trees grown right here in Yorkshire. The Arium sells all kinds of festive decorations, and at the same time lets people invest back into their city.”

George Grant, owner of Stockeld Park, said: “A massive amount of care goes into growing these trees. We have an extensive and very research-led cultivation regime, which includes several rounds of pruning, leader control, nutrient application and, where necessary, pest-control.

“We have around half-a-million trees growing at Stockeld, and much of this work has to happen by hand, so the trees really are a labour of love.”

Read more about The Arium at https://www.theariumleeds.co.uk/.

ENDS