Shirley based company selling 60ft Christmas trees to the stars
A company from Shirley have become Europe's number one seasonal tree growers.
Woods Farm, which is ran by brothers Geoff and Graham Gilbert, has been operating for more than 40 years.
Last week, three 44-footers were sent to Rome, Florence, Naples and Athens, and closer to home, a 64 foot giant, that was first planted 44 years ago, now stands proudly in Nottingham.
The Gilberts are described as they undisputed kings of the fir trade and Geoff revealed his favourite is situated in Convent Garden.
Shirley-based Woods Farm is the company even some of the rich and famous are turning to.
Last month the family business fielded one of its strangest requests from the daughter of Formula One billionaire Bernie Ecclestone.
She wanted Woods to help transform her West London mansion into a winter wonderland as a birthday surprise for 85-year-old Bernie.
The driveway of the £70 million Kensington home was covered in white sheeting to make it look snow-coated, and Woods placed trees throughout the grounds.
Despite remaining tight-lipped about other celebrity clientele, it's no secret that a Woods Christmas wreath hangs on the door of 10 Downing Street, which is crafted by sisters-in-law Marie and Ragni Gilbert.
The hard work stars in March and April with the Woods team planting 100,000 saplings in order to deal with the Christmas rush.
Asked how they started and Geoff reveals that the pine powerhouse has grown from humble beginnings.
Some of the trees reach over 60 foot tall and pose logistical problems, with one of the main ones being wrapping them.
However the brothers have come up with a record-breaking solution, having purchased the world’s biggest Christmas tree wrapper, capable of encasing 80-foot conifers in protective mesh.
It cost them a total of $500,000.
Woods don’t just lead the field when it comes to trees. Their wreaths are also world-famous.
Marie Gilbert creates the designs, a skill handed down by her mother-in-law and Ragni Gilbert does the wiring.
The partnership has proved very successful as the pair won the British Christmas Tree Growers Association wreath competition.