Press Release

PHOTOCALL: Decorating the UK's largest Christmas Tree

Date: Tuesday November 14
Time: Midday onwards*
Place: Wakehurst Place , Ardingly, near Haywards Heath

If your Christmas lights always get in a tangle, spare a thought for the team decorating the UK 's biggest growing Christmas tree!

The lights will be going up on November 14 on a giant redwood tree at Wakehurst Place, Kew 's country garden near Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

A team of specialist tree climbers will be rigging the 35-metre tall tree, which will be the centrepiece of Wakehurst's Christmas celebrations.

Two large cranes will be brought in to help the operation and lift the 1,800 festive white lights into place.

The Wakehurst Christmas tree, a Sequoiadendron giganteum adjacent to the garden's Elizabethan mansion, has become a well-known local landmark. The tree can be seen for miles around and Gatwick pilots say it is clearly visible from the air.

After the lights are put up and tested on the November 14 they will be switched on at a special lighting up ceremony at 5pm on December 1, by BBC South East TV's Beverley Thomson. The tree will be lit until January 5 to give visitors to the gardens the opportunity to enjoy the spectacle.

Andy Jackson, Head of Wakehurst Place, said: “Dressing the tree marks the start of the build up to Christmas at Wakehurst. Like everyone else we packed our tree lights away after last Christmas and have to check they are all working properly – but we have more lights than the average tree!

“You need a head for heights to decorate the tree and the tree climbers enjoy it. They are all from Wakehurst's conservation and woodland team and are normally busy doing forestry and conservation work around the estate.”

This Christmas people can sponsor a light bulb on the tree for £10, as a unique gift, greeting or commemoration, ring 01444 894035 for more details.

The Christmas Tree will be a focal point for an open-air carols evening on Friday December 15 at 7pm.

Top-quality trees grown on the Wakehurst estate will be on sale in the Wakehurst Place plant centre from December 1, with a range of different varieties on offer.

Wakehurst Place, at Ardingly, four miles north of Haywards Heath is open daily, from 10am, every day except December 24 and 25. Tel 01444 890466 www.kew.org

--ends—

Editor's note:

MEDIA enquiries to Andy Jackson 01444 894054 or 01444 894067.

*The lights will be going up on the tree from around midday onwards, and will be tested at dusk. Photographers and journalists are welcome to attend, please could you let Andy Jackson know what time you are planning to come.

(In the event of high winds on Nov 14 it may be necessary to reschedule the date for putting the lights up).

The Giant Redwood is the largest tree on earth. In its native California , the largest specimen is over 240 feet tall and 30feet in diameter. Introduced to the UK in 1853, specimens have reached 150 feet here.

IMAGES of the tree last Christmas are available from: http://www.kew.org/press/images/wakehurst

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