Hire a Christmas tree in Dorset

Trees for Rent are kicking off their second season of Christmas tree rental down in Dorset.

It all caused a bit of a media frenzy last year, featuring on Chris Evans' radio show, GMTV's This Morning.

I spoke to one half of the husband and wife team Joanna Hunt yesterday - her husband Peter was working in the greenhouse where 2000 seeded trees are being brought on for future stock.

The Hunt's backed the original idea last year and have now taken over the running of the business.

Jo told me that last year they started with 500 trees and have nearly trebled for this year with 1,400 trees - so far, half of them have been booked and paid for.

At the moment the service only covers an area from Weymouth in Dorset, up to Bristol in Somerset, across to Salisbury in Wiltshire and down to Bournemouth in Hampshire.

One the logistics and distribution are sorted out the duo hope to start expanding the service across the UK.

Jo says that they are acutely aware of the environmental impact of using Charminster as a central distribution and deliveries to the North of the UK would diminish the original eco-friendly theme of re-usable Christmas trees.

One method being considered is franchising the business to other nurseries who can operate a local deliver service.

Their current and preferred method of delivery by a green service using recycled chip fat and bio-diesel.

I had to know what a Christmas tree supplier does for the rest of the year. Jo chuckled and told me that developing the business, potting, growing on and caring for the news stock will be more than enough to do.

Website: Trees for Rent