Nurture Nature: Grow a Native Tree from Seed in Your Garden
Have you ever wondered how you can grow a native tree from a seed? It’s a simple and rewarding activity, perfect for nature lovers and garden enthusiasts alike. Plus, rivers and trees are the perfect match, which is why we want to see as many trees in our catchment as possible! Follow these easy steps, and soon you could have your very own tree growing at home.
What You’ll Need:
- Tree seeds: there are plenty of species you can grow, check out our list below!
- A plant pot with drainage holes
- Small stones
- Compost
- Wire mesh (to keep animals away)
- Optional: Bamboo cane and a plastic bottle
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Prepare your pot: Place small stones at the base of your pot for drainage, then fill it almost to the top with compost.
- Plant the seeds: Bury your seeds about 2 cm deep, gently pressing down the compost. Water the soil thoroughly.
- Find the right spot: Position the pot outside in a shady corner. Cover the top with wire mesh to protect the seeds from birds and small animals.
- Water regularly: Check weekly to ensure the soil stays moist but avoid over-watering.
- Watch it grow: As the seed sprouts in spring, transfer the growing sapling into larger pots as needed. Once it reaches around 40 cm tall, it’s ready to be planted in the ground.
- Protect your sapling: If rabbits or mice are a threat, consider protective measures. A large pop bottle with the bottom cut out is an easy way to protect your little tree, and it’ll act like a greenhouse, keeping your sapling warm!
Choosing the Right Tree for Your Garden
Not sure which tree to grow? Here are some native species that thrive in different garden settings:
Alder (Alnus glutinosa) – Ideal for Urban Gardens
Alder is a hardy tree that grows well in various soil types and tolerates pollution, making it perfect for urban environments. With clusters of cone-like fruits in winter and golden catkins in spring, this tree is beautiful all year round!
- Height: 18-25m (but manageable with pruning in smaller gardens)
- Growth rate: 60 cm+ per year
- Wildlife benefits: Early nectar for bees, and seeds for birds, including many species of finch.
- How to collect the seeds: the seeds are hard, green coloured clusters, collect them before they turn dark and woody.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) – Year-Round Interest
This thorny tree offers white spring blossoms and dark, sloe berries in autumn, perfect for homemade sloe gin! It’s a great option for creating natural hedging.
- Height: 6-7m, or manageable as a hedge
- Growth rate: 40-60 cm per year
- Wildlife benefits: Early food source for bees, with caterpillars and birds loving the dense thickets.
- How to collect the seeds: Blackthorn seeds are also known as sloes, which are a bluish black downy fruit. Squeeze the flesh to reveal the seed.
Dog Rose (Rosa canina) – Perfect for Small Gardens
This beautiful native shrub blooms with pink and white flowers in spring, followed by bright red hips in autumn.
- Height: 1-5m, great for smaller spaces
- Growth rate: 40-60 cm per year
- Wildlife benefits: Flowers provide nectar for pollinators, and the hips feed birds like blackbirds and waxwings.
- How to collect the seeds: Dog roses produce rose hips, a red ‘false fruit’. These can be very itchy, so avoid prolonged contact with skin. Mash the hips up, leave to dry, and extract the seeds.
Elder (Sambucus nigra) – For Food Foragers
Elder is well-known for its summer flowers, used to make elderflower cordial, and dark berries, which can be turned into a delicious syrup. It’s also steeped in folklore.
- Height: Up to 10m, but easily pruned
- Growth rate: 30-60 cm per year
- Wildlife benefits: Flowers and berries attract insects, birds, and small mammals.
- How to collect the seeds: These small, round, black berries grow in bunches on the tree. Simply squeeze the berry to remove the fruit.
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) – Wildlife Champion
Often seen in hedgerows, Hawthorn offers creamy white blossoms in spring and bright red berries in summer, making it a great choice for wildlife-friendly gardens.
- Height: Up to 15m if not pruned
- Growth rate: 40-60 cm per year
- Wildlife benefits: Supports over 300 insect species, and birds love the berries.
- How to collect the seeds: Hawthorn produce a red berry, which can vary in colour from a reddish-orange, to a deep purple-red. Each berry contains one single seed.
Hazel (Corylus avellana) – For Larger Gardens
With its iconic catkins in spring and tasty autumn nuts, hazel is perfect for a larger garden or as part of a hedge.
- Height: Up to 10m, easily managed with pruning
- Growth rate: 40-60 cm per year
- Wildlife benefits: A favourite of hazel dormice, and its nuts are loved by squirrels and birds.
- How to collect the seeds: These seeds are also known as cobnuts, and they’re large and green. When they start to turn brown, they’re perfect for picking.
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) – Great for Exposed Areas
Rowan, also known as Mountain Ash, offers striking orange-red berries and delicate leaves that turn fiery red in autumn. Despite its slender appearance, it’s surprisingly hardy.
- Height: 8-15m, perfect for narrow gardens
- Growth rate: 20-40 cm per year
- Wildlife benefits: Birds love its berries, and its flowers attract pollinators.
- How to collect the seeds: Rowan trees are another tree that produces bunches or red berries, and in mast years each tree can hold an incredible number of seeds! Just squeeze the berry to remove the fruit.
Collecting Tree Seeds
Ready to get started? You can collect seeds from many native trees in autumn. For example, gather acorns from oaks or berries from rowan trees. Be sure to collect before seeds or fruits turn woody or overripe.
Remember, many wildlife species rely on these seeds as a winter food source, so only collect seeds if there are plenty. Make sure you stick to public land too, and don’t pick anything unless you’re absolutely sure that it’s safe to do so, it’s in a public area, and it’s not going to affect local wildlife. It’s also worth mentioning that, due to our stringent bio-security measures, we usually can’t take in the trees that you’ve been growing on, as there is a risk of spreading tree diseases.
If you don’t have a garden, or a space to grow your own native tree, you can still get involved in woodland creation. Our volunteers help us to plant tens of thousands of trees each year, as well as helping to grow the baby saplings on in our Community Tree Nurseries. Discover more about volunteering here.
If you would like to discover more about tree seed gathering, then visit The Tree Council website for guides on seed identification, gathering, and growing.
Watching your native tree grow is a rewarding experience that helps support local biodiversity. With a little patience and care, you’ll not only add beauty to your garden but also contribute to the well-being of local wildlife. Happy planting!
