The documentary is aimed to help open the eyes of the many steps involved in the plant trade where plant health is concerned and the professionalism behind it. King and Co are Plant Healthy and UKISG assured in addition to being members of the HTA.
Recordings took place at docks, ports, BCPs, Defra diagnostic lab in York and King and Co to show the steps to keep the UK safe from plant pests and diseases.
King and Co adhere to a voluntary Plant Healthy standard to ensure best practices are in place. The Plant Healthy standard promotes plant health risk analysis where suppliers and plant handling is concerned. King and Co visit suppliers and tag stock on a regular basis, constantly evaluating the health of stock and growing methods.
The risk of Xylella fastidiosa to the UK is the reason King and Co do not sell Olive trees, which can pose a dangerous threat to trees and plants across the country.
It is important to evaluate the health of trees, plants, growing media, nursery soil and chemical application programme before it enters our own Nursery site. The small percentage of stock (which is imported) is also inspected at inland Border Control Points to again check its health.
King and Co’s Plant Healthy trained staff inspect each tree and plant upon its arrival at the Nursery in its designated quarantine area as another line of defence to Nursery stock. The trees and plants at this point have been checked thoroughly several times. It is only at this point the stock can be released onto the site.
The new stock will now be checked daily in line with King and Co’s Pest Risk Analysis schedule. To ensure traceability, each new batch of plants is assigned its own identification code linking directly to its source. UKISG assurance proves King and Co UK Provenance plants can be traced right back to seed.
Before any trees of plants leave the Nursery, they are checked a final time to make sure again they are in good health. It is only this rigorous checking, by experienced and trained experts, which can truly stop a plant pathogen escaping into the surrounding environment.
Buy responsibly! Plant Healthy suppliers are independently audited to check that the correct procedures are in place to intercept a notifiable pest or disease.
Trees and pants sold by a Supermarket or Homeware store for example may be checked at a central hub or BCP if they are imported, but these are not being checked and handled by qualified and experienced individuals for latent threats to plant health.
BBC Radio 4 – ‘Pipping a Plant Pandemic’
Airs: Wednesday 11th December, 15:30
BBC Radio 4 – Pipping a Plant Pandemic
Our Laurel standards have clear stems and bushy heads of evergreen foliage that sit above the fence line to enhance privacy without encroaching on the rest of the garden! Perfect for planting in a row to create an uninterrupted screen, you could also strategically plant one tree to block a specific view!
If planting in a row, we recommend planting the trees at 1.2-1.5m centres so that they will grow into each other! Measure the boundary before planting so that you can space the trees out evenly.
If you prefer a formal appearance, then you could go for a Pleached laurel instead. Known for their instant screening effect, these pleached trees have a clear stem and branches trained onto a flat framework.
Container grown trees can be planted all year round. Watch our video guide on how to do so.
As a guide, we recommend giving each tree 5 litres of water every other day during the growing season. The water should be directed at the base of the trunk.
5 Litres is a good starting point to make sure that the ground stays moist, if the soil starts to become saturated or dry adjust the amount as required.
We can offer our planting service if you are local to the nursery. Planting prices are dependent on the size of the pot. Please contact us if you would like a quote.
Pre-order trees and hedging now to jump to the front of the delivery queue. Bare root and root ball hedging is now available to pre-order from King and Co.
Download our Hedging Price Lists here:
King and Co Root Ball Hedging 2024-25 (Retail) Price List
Please contact sales@kingco.co.uk for a trade price list.
King and Co Bare Root Catalogue 2024-25
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Take a look at how we planted pleached hornbeam trees in a new build garden. Planting pleached hornbeam can transform the look and feel of your garden.
King and Co’s pleached hornbeam trees have clear stems of 1.8m (6ft) to preserve garden space. The foliage starts from 1.5-1.8m so importantly blocks the view of anyone overlooking. It is possible to underplant screening trees with shrubs to hide a fence or wall.
This customer recently moved into a new build property and wanted more garden privacy. The laurel hedge was in need of a trim, and existing sleepers formed a ramp between the two levels. The plan was to convert the ramp into a raised bed, keeping ground level for planting the pleached hornbeam trees.
The King and Co planting team installed eight pleached trees along the hedge line, creating privacy and shade. The hornbeam trees were planted at 1.5m centres to achieve a ‘touching’ finish. Carpinus betulus grows very well in Essex clay soils, and will extend to grow above and beyond the frames, ideal for those interested in planting pleached hornbeam for effective screening.
Theses container grown trees can be planted all year round. Similarly to trees planted in the winter, these trees will also need to be watered well during the growing seasons. If you would like to plant your own tree, watch our video here.
For all screening enquiries, contact the King and Co team or visit the Nursery in Rayne, Essex to select your own trees. King and Co are able to advise the best trees for screening your garden with just a few photos and measurements. Planting pleached hornbeam trees can provide both beauty and functionality to your garden.
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United Kingdom and Ireland Sourced and Grown (UKISG) is the Woodland Trust’s voluntary initiative, which is the benchmark for their tree procurement. Similar to the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme, UKISG focuses on full visibility of the supply chain.
Each and every King and Co UKISG tree has been sourced within the UK and Ireland. This means being traceable from seed collection through to planting. UKISG tree sourcing is key for developing resilient woodlands and reduces the risk of importing pests and diseases.
Buying trees which have been sourced and grown in the UK not only supports the Woodland Trust’s goal to plant 64 million trees by 2025, but also support the UK’s net zero 2050 target. Importing trees increases the biosecurity risk to native species. Import transportation alone has a large carbon footprint.
King and Co is independently inspected to ensure the highest biosecurity standards in the tree growing industry. This focuses on every detail when it comes to the sourcing and growing of seeds and trees.
Further down the growing cycle; how the Nursery handles, checks and looks after its stock. The Nursery’s methodology and practices are rigorously inspected to ensure safe biosecurity. This extends to pre-dispatch checks before the trees are shipped to its customers. Rest assured, buy from a Plant Healthy and UKISG nursery for plants you know have received the best possible care.
Both schemes are voluntary, which highlights how committed King and Co are to preserving the safety of UK native species.
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BN7 and BN11 Countryside Stewardship Hedging Schemes
Laurel trees are considered the best trees for privacy because of their evergreen foliage. Prunus laurocerasus grows 30-50cm a year, making them fast growing trees. Laurel trees have dense, bushy crowns and knit together quickly to form a raised screen above a fence.
King and Co’s screening trees have clear stems to preserve garden space. The foliage starts from 1.5-1.8m so importantly blocks the view of anyone overlooking. It is possible to underplant screening trees with shrubs to hide a fence or wall.
This customer recently moved into a new build property and wanted above fence screening. Their new home featured a garden that was overlooked by their neighbours’ large windows. To soften the view and gain some privacy, they chose our laurel screening trees.
The King and Co planting team installed sixteen trees along the fence line, creating privacy and some shade. The fast growing laurel trees will knit together quickly to form a hedge above the fence. These laurel trees are UK grown and can cope with poorer clay soils.
Theses container grown trees can be planted all year round. Similarly to trees planted in the winter, these trees will also need to be watered well during the growing seasons. If you would like to plant your own tree, watch our video here.
For all screening enquiries, contact the King and Co team or visit the Nursery in Rayne, Essex to select your own trees. King and Co can advise the best trees for screening your garden with just a few photos and measurements.
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Trees are a vital addition to any landscape, but it is important to consider a species’ mature height, spread and growth rate before planting trees in smaller gardens. Here we have selected our top tree choices for small gardens, each of these species have a compact habit and will provide your landscape with seasonal interest and visual appeal. For alternative suggestions, have a look at the Small Garden Trees category on our website! If you are looking to plant an evergreen/semi-evergreen tree, you could explore our Top 10 Screening Trees for their year round coverage and privacy!
Catalpa bungei is the Dwarf form of the Indian Bean Tree. Grafted onto a 2m stem, this tree will only reach a mature height of around 4-5m which means that it could be a candidate for smaller gardens. Catalpa is a beautiful, distinctive tree with heart-shaped green leaves that form a full, round crown when mature. In hot summers, this tree can also produce scented pink-purple flowers to provide additional interest!
This small willow tree bears masses of eye catching, fuzzy yellow catkins that appear in early spring, these catkins are followed by lance shaped, pink, creamy white and green variegated leaves that age to green. With a half standard stem (1m) and a rounded crown that usually grows 2-2.5m taller than the graft, these trees are often used to create height and interest in small gardens. They can be kept neat and small by clipping and shaping, or they can be left to grow out to create a larger sphere or attractive small tree.
Photinia Red Robin is a fast-growing, evergreen plant with young foliage that emerges as red and mature to green, in spring an abundance of cream-white flowers also appear. Often used to create height and interest in small gardens, this plant has a half standard stem (90-100cm) and a globular head of foliage. Half standard trees can be kept neat and small by clipping and shaping, or they can be left to grow out to create a larger sphere or attractive small tree.
This small, deciduous tree has glossy green leaves, attractive pink/red, double flowers in spring and deep red fruits in autumn. Reaching a mature height of 4-8m, Crataegus ‘Paul’s Scarlet‘ is a good option for small gardens owing to its manageable size, striking appearance and seasonal interest!
Tibetan Cherry is often recognised for its shiny, mahogany/brown, peeling bark. The bark develops a smooth, almost polished, appearance in older specimens. Reaching a mature height of 5-8m with a rounded form and loose, transparent crown, this deciduous tree is ideal for providing smaller gardens with winter interest.
Reaching a mature height of 5-6m and a mature spread of 3-3.5m, Prunus ‘Snow Goose’ is a popular choice for smaller gardens owing to it’s upright habit and manageable size. Plant this tree to add interest to gardens with its smooth, reddish-brown bark, striking white flowers and vibrant autumn hues! Also known as Prunus ‘Umineko’.
At King & Co we can supply a wide range of fruit trees including Apples, Cherries, Pears and Plums! All of which have been grafted onto rootstocks to produce a strong tree that will reach a manageable size. Most importantly, fruit trees do well in pots. Buy fruit trees to add interest to a patio are where planting into the ground is difficult.
Reaching a mature height of 10m, Sorbus aucuparia is an excellent candidate for smaller gardens or areas with limited space. Often recognised for its pinnate leaves, clusters of creamy-white flowers and fantastic display of red/orange berries, the native Rowan tree is also valued for its attraction to wildlife!
This small, deciduous tree has green leaves that emerge with a bronze tint in spring and turn to seasonal shades of orange and red in the autumn. In spring, the Juneberry tree also bears star-like, white flowers, these flowers are followed by dark purple berries in summer. Reaching a mature height of around 5m, the attractive appearance, multi-season interest and manageable size make this tree a popular choice for smaller gardens!
Planted for its seasonal interest, Amelanchier ‘Robin Hill’ has an upright form which makes it ideal for more compact gardens. Like Amelanchier lamarckii, this tree has green leaves that emerge with a bronze tint in spring. These turn to seasonal shades of orange and red in the autumn. ‘Robin Hill’ also bears white flowers that emerge from pink tinged buds in spring, these flowers are followed by dark purple berries in summer.
Container grown trees can be planted all year round. Watch our video guide on how to professionally plant and stake your tree!
As a guide, we recommend giving each tree 5 litres of water every other day during the growing season. The water should be directed at the base of the trunk.
5 Litres is a good starting point to make sure that the ground stays moist, if the soil starts to become saturated or dry adjust the amount as required.
We can offer our planting service if you are local to the nursery. Planting prices are dependent on the size of the pot. Please contact us if you would like a quote.
King and Co the Tree Nursery are RHS Chelsea Gold Medals winners and are Plant Healthy certified, here we detail how to plant a tree grown in a container. This guide is for tree planting using a double staking method. The Nursery has also produced a step-by-step video – watch it here.
Container grown trees can be planted all year round, unlike bare root and root-balled trees, which can only be planted during the planting season (November – March). Buy a container grown tree which has an already more established root system for a higher success rate.
Trees of this type are lighter and easier to manoeuvre, making it faster and easier to plant and get them to the planting site. King and Co can deliver container grown trees next-day nationwide due to their portable nature once packaged.
Also known as the planting pit, which should be around 25% wider than the rootball. It is important to only dig a few centimetres deeper than the rootball. If the tree is planted too deep, the tree suffocates and ultimately the tree fails. Keep your excavated soil to one side, ready for improvement later on.
Remove the tree from its container, or bag that it has been growing in. Place the tree carefully into the planting pit to check the depth. Just add or take away soil if required.
Tree staking is critical for planting success. Staking protects the roots whilst establishing, keeping the tree upright and stable. The stakes should be knocked in with a post driver or sledgehammer until they are held firmly in the ground. Use 30cm as a rough guide.
Measure your crossbar up against the two stakes and, whilst keeping it level, screw or nail it to each stake. Weave the buckle tie into the tree pad and screw this into the crossbar, move this left or right to ensure the tree is upright. Place the tree back inside the planting pit and secure using the buckle tie.
Help your newly planted tree by improving the soil quality. Mix your excavated soil with some multipurpose compost to help improve water retention and nutrient uptake. Incorporate some King and Co specialised Tree fertiliser to give your tree a real boost.
Backfill the planting pit with your newly improved soil, making sure to fill around the side of the rootball. Heel in the soil firmly to ensure good root and soil contact. Next, mulch around the base of the tree, which will help prevent weed growth and trap moisture.
Water in your new tree to help it settle. We recommend a couple of litres, every other day in the warm growing season. Watering the key to success, too much can be just as detrimental as not enough.
Prune any dead wood, and maintain a weed free area around the base of the tree. As the tree grows, you can loosen off the buckle tie to stop it damaging the stem.
If you need any more help or advice, get in contact with King and Co. Watch our video below for a demonstration of how to plant a tree grown in a container.
King and Co are able to provide UK native hedging species well below the grant amount per metre.
Whilst the countryside stewardship grants make excellent financial sense, both arable and livestock farmers can benefit from planting new hedgerows. Arable farmers can boost the pollinators and beneficial predators around the field perimeter. Livestock farmers can create shade, shelter and a natural boundary.
Environmentally, new hedges can reduce flood risk by increasing drainage as well as capturing and storing carbon. The countryside stewardship hedging incentive is a great way to boost bio-diversity. Contact King and Co via the form below, email sales@kingco.co.uk or call 01376 340 469 for help and advice.
Plants under BN11 Specification:
King and Co’s BN11 Stewardship hedging mix is mainly based on Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), with the addition of UK Native species such as Field Maple (Acer campestre), Spindle (Euonymus europaeus), Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) to name a few. We can however make a custom mix depending on the specification of your chosen grant.
Read more on BN11 Countryside Stewardship Grants.
Plants under BN7 Specification:
It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Capital Grants on planted boundary lines of shrubs that are:
Read more on BN7 Countryside Stewardship Grants.
Watch our video on ‘notch’ planting to help plant your hedge quickly and efficiently. Make sure to ‘heel-in’ tightly for good soil/root contact.
Fence off the plants if sheep, cattle or horses graze the land. If the area has a rabbit or hare problem, use biodegradable spiral guards.
Yes
Competitive weeds such as brambles, nettles and grasses all compete with your new plants for moisture, nutrients and light. Weeds around new planting significantly reduces growth rate.
King and Co can plant your hedge for you, if you are local to the Nursery.
Apply herbicide in a 1.5m strip in the August or September prior to planting only. This is to reduce competition for the new hedge plants.
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King and Co will be closed over the Christmas period.
The Nursery will be closed from 22nd December and will re-open on Tuesday 2nd January.
Due to the increased volume of carrier consignments in the lead up to Christmas, the Nursery will pause its nationwide shipping option from Friday 15th December. This ensures trees and plants purchased online arrive in their best condition. The Nursery will resume dispatch for nationwide shipping on Tuesday 2nd January.
We can however offer a same-day delivery option which is calculated on a per-mile basis from our Nursery in Rayne, Essex for delivery before Christmas. Please contact sales@kingco.co.uk for details.
You can buy trees, hedging, shrubs and topiary online by browsing our website.
If you do not see a plant or size that is suitable for you then please call as we stock a wide variety of plants in our tree nursery. It’s worth noting that many other websites sell other people’s stock (i.e. they act as an agent) so you cannot view the products at their own site. At King & Co, all of our advertised plants are available for viewing at our tree nursery in Rayne, near Braintree, situated just over an hours drive out of London.
Our knowledgeable and experienced tree nursery staff are always contactable via phone on 01376 340469 or if you have any questions regarding any of our trees or accessories.
If you cannot see what you require on our website, please complete the enquiry form. We will give it our urgent attention and will get back to you shortly with a solution that meets your needs.
If you are looking for specific evergreen trees, Photinia, Leylandii hedging, Leylandii trees, instant hedging or shrubs, use the search bar at the top of the page
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