Tallest Christmas tree lights to be turned on this weekend
This Friday the Christmas lights on the tallest Christmas tree in the country are due to be switched on


The lights on the tallest Christmas tree in the country will be turned on this Friday, November 27, during the Big Switch On ceremony, which is free to the public, at Wakehurst Place near Haywards Heath in Sussex.
The 113ft redwood tree is decorated with 1,800 festive lights, and, once lit, will be seen from miles around, including from the air by pilots approaching nearby Gatwick Airport.
Expert tree climbers from Wakehurst's woodland and conservation team used ropes and specialist climbing gear to put up the energy-saving lights.
As part of the countdown to the 6:25pm switch on, a choir will be leading carols from 6pm and there will be craft activities for children in the mansion at Wakehurst 5pm-6:30pm.
In addition, there will be Christmas shopping in the gift shop and festive refreshments in the Stables Restaurant and Seed Café.
Andy Jackson, head of Wakehurst Place, which is run by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said: ‘The tree is a spectacular sight, and seeing it lit up marks the start of the build-up to Christmas for lots of our visitors and neighbours.'
Following the switch on, the tree will then be illuminated daily from 4pm until January 5.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Other festive events at Wakehurst include Christmas displays by floristry students at Plumpton College from December 5; Christmas lunch in the mansion on December 6 and 13; Santa in residence in his grotto in the Mansion Chapel Winter Wonderful 12pm-4pm on December 6, 13 and 20; and carol evening, with music provided by the Salvation Army, at 7pm on December 18—visit http://www.kew.org/visit-wakehurst/whats-on/Christmas-at-Wakehurst.htm for details.
To comment on this article, use the comment box below, or email us at clonews@ipcmedia.com. Read more about the countryside
For more news stories like this every week subscribe and save
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
-
From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish culture
A new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
By Emma Lavelle Published
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
From a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
By Toby Keel Published