NFU members Cadeby Tree Trust and Strawson Woodland won champion Christmas tree and champion festive wreath respectively at the recent BCTGA (British Christmas Tree Growers Association) Awards; accolades which carry with them a unique opportunity – the chance to supply the famous London residence with its outdoor Christmas display.
Cadeby Tree Trust snapped up Champion Christmas Tree Grower of the Year 2025, while Strawson Woodland secured Champion Festive Wreath of the Year 2025.
The awards are held annually and are judged by fellow members of the BCTGA, making the recognition all the more sweet. The winners would tend to agree.
Sharing knowledge and success
“It's really quite stiff competition,” said NFU member Rod Strawson of Strawson Woodland. “It's the trade judging the trade, so standards are high. Some people enter for many years and don't get lucky.”
Matt Stubbs of Cadeby Tree Trust shared Rod's sentiments and highlighted the importance of both the awards and the BCTGA: “I learn so much by going to these events.
“I think it's really important that we share our knowledge with each other, so that we can all achieve better things in the grand scheme of things and the standard improves for everybody. That way, everyone's a winner, aren't they?”
It is this collaborative space that the BCTGA has created that lends itself to its members' mutual successes and helped secure their spots outside No. 10.
Buying local and real
Vice-chair of the BCTGA Oliver Coombe said: “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.”
Cadeby Tree Trust
As wholesalers, Cadeby Tree Trust didn't think winning Champion Christmas Tree Grower was necessarily on the cards for them.
The Trust grows around two to two and a half million trees across forty sites.
They are used to dealing in pallets of smaller trees, not 18-20 footers – the height of the tree destined for No. 10.
“To have one of our trees outside No. 10 showcasing Cadeby Tree Trust is very special.”
Matt Stubbs of Cadeby Tree Trust
But with a desire to grow larger specimens, they did just that, entering six awards in different categories, and coming away with first or second place in five of them.
“It’s like the Champions League of Christmas tree awards,” said Matt Stubbs, who works for the Leicestershire-based Trust.
“To have one of our trees outside No. 10 showcasing Cadeby Tree Trust is very special because it's probably one of the most famous doors in the world.”
In 2024, the Trust were awarded second place in the competition and supplied the tree that stood inside the prime minister's official residence.
“It's certainly our most successful year, which is even more special considering the tough growing season that we've had.”
Morale booster
“We had our heads in our hands," explained Matt, after the bouts of unseasonable weather, “so to get an accolade like that as champion grower, it is pretty special and we're all really chuffed with it.”
“And it was really good for morale, with the team going into harvest, because we're going into our busiest, most stressful time of year. You're doing all the hours under the sun and the moon to try and bring Christmas into everybody's home.”
Passing on expertise
He hopes that the award will bring some more recognition from their industry, more sales and more growers reaching out.
The Trust don't just believe in passing on their 40 years' worth of expertise – a milestone they have just celebrated – they act on it.
They do a lot of contract work and are akin to “Christmas tree experts”, as jokingly described by Matt, guiding new growers through the industry and giving invaluable advice to those just starting out.
Nordmann fir vs Norway spruce
The award was not without its surprises – while the Nordmann fir is the usual winner of the coveted Downing Street spot and a firm favourite of the general public, known for its hardiness and good needle retention, the tree that was selected was the more traditional Norway Spruce.
When asked what tree Downing Street would be receiving, Matt stood firm: "We want to supply a Norway spruce. We won with a Norway spruce."
Matt Stubbs of Cadeby Tree Trust
Strawson Woodland
It was the first time wholesale and retail Christmas tree and foliage provider Strawson Woodland had entered the festive wreath category of the competition, but it surely won't be the last.
The team not only managed to secure first place in the decorated wreath category which then went head to head to be crowned Champion Festive Wreath of the Year 2025, but second place in the undecorated category.
According to Rod Strawson, the team at Strawson, based in little Cawthorpe near Louth, were “thrilled” to receive the accolade, which they intend to take full advantage of: “Good news always helps”.
“When we're retailing trees, it will be nice to proudly display the trophy and certificates in the till area.”
Adapting to change
Rod and his father Peter, who started growing Christmas trees in 1971, noticed a resurgence of wreaths and adapted the business in kind.
Around 15 to 20 years ago in Lincolnshire, door wreaths were not fashionable.
While growers in the west and the southwest seemed to sell a lot of wreaths and foliage for wreaths, the Strawsons “did next to nothing”.
Rod said: “The business has evolved over the years. We're doing a lower number of wholesale Christmas trees. We've increased the farm gate retail of Christmas trees and the wholesale foliage to florists and commercial wreath-making facilities.”
“When we're retailing trees, it will be nice to proudly display the trophy and certificates in the till area.”
Rod Strawson of Strawson Woodland
This “dramatic” increase in volume is to the point that Strawson Woodland are planting species purely for foliage production – Rod is even exploring the possibility of planting Eucalyptus in light of the recent weather.
By experimenting with this species, not only is Rod adapting to the changing market, he is also adapting to a changing climate.
Rod describes the soil in their patch of Lincolnshire as a clay loam, prone to cracking up in the dry hot periods, which might just work for the water-shy plant.
Playing to their strengths
For a sector that works in decades rather than years, predicting what the market will look like in seven to ten years – trees grow about one foot per year – is nigh on impossible.
“You have to have a lot more foresight than I do, or be extremely lucky,” Rod said plainly.
So instead, they control what they can. They adapt, and, in the case of employee Poppy Dales, they play to their strengths.
Poppy, who runs her own flower arranging business and is Strawson’s resident wreath maker, designed the wreath that secured them first place, alongside colleague Jay Halls.
“I was just thankful everybody voted for me. I was really ecstatic and I even did a little dance when I was collecting my trophy,” said Poppy.
By recognising her passion and skillset, no luck was necessary.
Strawson Woodland's winning festive wreath. Photograph: British Christmas Tree Growers Association.
