The demand for ‘real' Christmas trees is growing, but there might not be enough to go round this year, and the worst shortage will be of trees higher than 6ft, says the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA). Growers are reporting that unusually severe late-spring frosts in Europe killed 25% of the harvest-in Sweden alone, 50,000 trees were lost.
Another problem is over-cutting by growers who are cutting early to meet demand, which leads to fewer taller trees. A third issue is a disease called current season needle necrosis (CSNN), which causes needles on fir trees to turn brown and fall off.
The Tree Barn, which supplies No 10, Downing Street, has told Horticulture Week that it expects to lose 10% of its crop each year due to the disease.
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Brockfield Hall, the great Yorkshire house that's gone from Regency mansion to modern family homeBrockfield Hall in North Yorkshire is the family home of Charlie Wood and Hatta Byng, editor of House & Garden, who have transformed it since they came here in 2020, winning multiple awards in the process. John Martin Robinson reports on the restoration project that revived this compact Regency house as a modern family home. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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Barbour’s heritage jackets get a floral makeover courtesy of ErdemUtilitarian outwear has taken the fashion world by storm and now Britain's world-famous wax jackets are getting in on the act, inspired by some of our greatest countryside icons.
