Help Darroch Nurseries grow more trees!

Aim: Your chance to support a local native tree nursery near Linlithgow! Help us to buy a new polytunnel to grow more trees and teach others how.

Since 2023, we have been retrofitting an unused space into a vibrant new tree nursery - Darroch Nurseries. Here, we've been busy growing native Scottish trees from seed we hand-collect ourselves - and involving people in all stages of the process. 

As a social enterprise, we are equally dedicated to both growing trees and ensuring people benefit too. Over the last year, this has included: supporting a local mental health group combatting social isolation and loneliness, including our outstanding volunteers in the growing cycle, investing in our local community and greenspaces, and supporting MSc students. We also support the Scottish network of small tree nurseries by sharing our knowledge and hosting hands-on and online learning workshops.

Why are we crowdfunding?
We have rapidly outgrown our existing available space and we are quite literally bursting at the seams. We are overwhelmed with demand for both our trees and requests for learning how to grow trees, and our small, 20-year old polytunnel is no longer fit for purpose.

We need a new, larger polytunnel so that we can meet the demand for more trees and have the dedicated, functional space we need to allow people to learn about and enjoy the fulfilment of growing trees.

What are our plans for the funds raised?

We need to raise at least £10,000 towards the project costs of £12,000 from this Crowdfunder. Your support will help us to:

• buy and build a 5m x 15m polytunnel that will become the heart of our workspace
• use this space as a Living Classroom, where our expanding community can come together to share knowledge about growing trees and spread this across Scotland to help other nurseries increase their knowledge, skills and networks to grow more trees in their own local communities
• host groups on site to expand our ongoing support of mental health projects, doing more to provide a safe space for our local community to find respite, connection and meaning
• reduce cost barriers for other small growers to visit us in person and participate in hands-on learning and knowledge exchange
• convert our existing small tunnel into a net-covered tunnel to provide the perfect conditions for our maturing trees 
• plant wildflowers, wetland plants and more trees on our site to increase biodiversity and support all the pollinators that are vital to our work, as well as the work of the farms around us
• grow extra trees to donate for free to good causes and spread the positive impact of planting trees as far and wide as possible, maximising benefits not just for nature but for people too.

What tree species will be grown at the nursery?
All trees grown at the new nursery are strictly native Scottish trees. Some tree species are easier to grow from seed than others and we grow a wide range, from some of our most recognisable trees, such as oak, hazel and the iconic scots pine, to aspen, alder, willows, holly, blackthorn, cherries, rowan, hawthorn, dog rose, and more.

All these tree species are suitable for Scotland's climate and soils.

Where this began
Darroch's founder Elana has always had a great love of trees. The idea of Darroch Nurseries first came together in 2021, and by Spring of 2023 Elana was growing at our current site, where we are enjoying cultivating a vibrant, growing community around us.

...and why Darroch?
Darroch is an Irish Gaelic word that means "oak hearted" and is closely related to darach, the Scottish Gaelic word for oak. A single mature oak tree, for example, can support 2,300 other plant and animal species. Our vision is for a long-lived impact, much like that of an old majestic oak tree, supporting not only ourselves but many others as well.

For now, we ask that you be oak-hearted too, by donating to help us get off the ground and make a positive difference. Thank you!