Leicestershire’s Cadeby Tree Trust has been crowned Champion Christmas Tree Grower of the Year 2025 – earning the honour of supplying the tree for the famous display outside 10 Downing Street.
The annual contest also saw first-time entrants Strawson Woodland of Lincolnshire named Champion Festive Wreath winners. They will provide the wreath for the Prime Minister’s front door this December.
Scottish Christmas Trees of Dumfries and Galloway was runner-up in the main tree category in the contest, which is organised by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA).
Christmas tree growing is a thriving industry in the UK, with more than eight million real trees sold each year, supporting hundreds of family-run farms and rural businesses.
The Nordmann Fir remains the nation’s favourite variety for its strong branches and long-lasting needles, while growing a tree to the perfect festive shape typically takes seven to ten years of care.
Real Christmas trees are also valued for their role in supporting biodiversity, providing habitats for birds and wildlife, and for their lower environmental impact compared with artificial trees, as they can be recycled or composted after the festive season.
The BCTGA competition has been running since 1999 and is open to more than 300 growers across the UK. This year’s event took place on 9 October at Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees near Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire.
The winning tree and wreath were chosen by BCTGA members attending the event, with the top prizes regarded as the highest honours in the industry.
Oliver Coombe, Vice Chair of BCTGA, praised the quality on display: “The quality of entries continues to improve year after year as the industry strives to produce a better product for consumers.
"All of our growers can be proud of the results of their hard work year-round to produce excellent trees, not least our winners who will now supply the tree and wreath for Downing Street as gifts to the nation – showcasing to the public why they should buy local and buy real trees.”
South Yorkshire farmer and YouTuber Joe Seels was the guest judge for the Celebrity Choice Award. He selected a Norway Spruce from Marldon Christmas Tree Farm in Devon for its “perfectly triangular shape, fullness from top to bottom and evocative festive scent.”
Seels also picked a wreath from Catsfield Christmas Tree Farm in East Sussex, which featured reindeer decorations. He explained his choice by saying it was “something that children would like, because Christmas is all about children.”
