Darroch Nurseries

04/06/2026

Our recently grafted hardy heritage apple trees are showing some gorgeous blossoms! Available from November 2026 🍎 🍏

03/06/2026

This year we are trialing a new compost - one that is peat and coconut free, produced by a local compost company called SilviBio Ltd. Ltd and using locally available materials. We’ve got our scots pine seedlings growing in this and in our usual peat free, coir based tree nursery specific compost. We’ll be comparing watering needs, how well it holds moisture, root and seedling development, and general growth and health. Very excited to see how this unfolds - more updates later on in the year!

02/06/2026

It seems our polytunnel has grown more than trees this year - found a beautifully crafted nest under our packing table when I was digging out some supplies. Based on the birds we have hanging about, I’m guessing it’s a grey wagtail or robin’s nest. Anybody know? Whoever built it did so with fastidiousness and care - it has a triangular base because of where it was built. It’s gorgeous and I’m glad my doggos contributed their fair share of soft hair to line it 😂

27/05/2026

Give our friends at CloudForest a like or follow on their new FB page - a great online marketplace for timber buyers and sellers to connect! 🪵

The UK marketplace for standing timber and roadside logs. Connect with buyers and sellers across the supply chain.

22/05/2026

Elmtastic! Such an abundance of elm seed this year 🤩 another one of my (many) favourites 🌳

02/05/2026

💚 🌱

29/04/2026

So many interesting roots that these acorns have! Potting up the very last of them, this is the latest I’ve ever had acorns still going! A bit of a surprise so hastily getting them in the cells even if they’re a bit far along 😊🌱

24/04/2026

Thanks to some of our fab volunteers for a great morning in the sun dismantling a polytunnel at , which he has very kindly donated to Darroch! Great fun was had, the sun was out, and yes we took some über-cheesy photos 😂

This PT will be rebuilt on our new site once we move and will be a special projects tunnel, maybe for our aspen or apple trees (ooooh or maybe a sofa and chill out tunnel!!!). Thanks all for a fab day - we also got the irrigation system set up at the nursery in the afternoon!

Thanks so much, , this will be such a wonderful addition 🌱

22/04/2026

Here’s to the brilliant people behind Hitch In Farm Working Horses - you will be a tremendous gain wherever you end up next. Safe travels and thank you for everything 🐴

Every once in a while we meet people so innately made for what they do. Mike Paddock from Hitch In Farm Working Horses in South West Wales is one of them. Mike is a master of his craft - in this case, horsemanship (and teaching it). It’s been 20 years since I last worked with horses but I know when someone has the gift. I was so lucky to attend the last ever course before Mike and his family up sticks to South America. Three brilliant days were spent learning to pull all sorts of things from harrows to sledges to chariots. I went in particularly interested in horse logging but found my interest rapidly expand. What a real privilege to learn from someone like this - no ego, no frills, just solid foundations, understanding, a knack for the possible, and a fair dose of excellent humour. Wishing Mike, Ellie & co all the very very best in this next chapter!

15/04/2026

How did this kind of plastic pollution get so normalised? Let’s do better…