Conifers Are Vital For Some Birdlife

But which ones are the real British natives?

The story goes that the Christmas tree tradition is a lot older than Christmas; that our pagan ancestors saw something special in evergreen trees and plants.

They brought them into the house at mid-winter for protection against unfriendly spirits, and we’re keeping the tradition going a millennium or two later. That’s probably why holly and ivy are part of our Christmas tradition, too.

When it comes to a tree, our Dark Ages ancestors’ options were a bit limited – we have only three conifers that rate as native to these islands.