Our three founding principles are our key non-negotiables to which we hold ourselves accountable, and you can too:

The right tree, in the right place, for the right reasons. Whilst our nursery proudly helps to achieve ambitious tree planting targets set for the coming decades, we go way farther than that. Simply hitting numbers is not going to cut it; we’re not interested in monocultures. Trees have to be planted where they will not just survive for a while, but will thrive for generations to come, creating benefits for everyone. Our native, local provenance trees are selected, grown and sold so that they have the very best chance of survival in an uncertain future. We grow grandmother trees-to-be. In an era where we are facing up to the fact we can no longer think only a few short years ahead, Darroch proudly looks hundreds of years ahead to help create a resilient future for us all.

Working wonders together. We always work with people and projects who truly care about regenerating the land as well as the people and wildlife who depend on it. These are landowners, farmers, crofters and foresters, as well as partnerships, businesses, non-profits and local authorities. From day one, their vision is our vision, and we work with them to realise it. We build mutually beneficial relationships and give back as much as we take in order to achieve a better future for their land – and its people – as partners.

Integrity. Whether it’s the genetic integrity of our tree stock, or the integrity with which we work with fellow nurseries and other projects to do good work together, we hold ourselves to the highest standards. That means we’re FRM registered and voluntarily comply with the Woodland Trust’s UK & Ireland Sourced and Grown (UKISG) standards. We’re humble in our knowledge, we share what we have and we seek what we don’t. We communicate the benefits of our work and are transparent with our practices. We’re proudly a business, but that’s the how and not the why. Darroch is the name of our nursery but Integrity is the word that underpins everything.