Community tree nursery
Our community tree nursery is a place where tiny seeds grow into something really special - a greener, healthier, more connected community!
Established in 2025 and funded by our community, we grow up to 1,000 native trees each year to be planted in and around Chippenham.
By the community, for the community
From seed to sapling, our trees are nurtured by local volunteers for our community to plant in gardens, schools, hedgerows and small woodlands. Our volunteers forage for the nuts, seeds and berries locally that we grow our trees from. This means we can provide resilient trees that will thrive in our neighbourhood and support the widest range of local wildlife.
We process the nuts and seeds before they undergo winter pre-treatment to break their natural dormancy. In Spring we sow them in rootrainer containers, and nurture them all year until they are ready for our local community to plant out.
Want to help us?
To find out more about helping out at our community tree nursery, just pop along to our monthly garden meet-ups on the first Saturday of the month! If you have any questions, please drop us a message.
Here's how the trees we grow benefit our local community:
How to get a tree
Our trees are available between October and March (until stocks last) when it is safest to plant them out before any hot weather. They are generally between one and two years old, or between 20cm and 60cm high, depending on the species. You can browse the species we grow further down this page.
Each tree comes with well established roots in a plug of soil and a 60cm tree protection tube, to help protect them when planted out.
When our trees are available we'll add a link on this page to order trees for specific collection dates from the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. There is no limit to the number you can order, if you want to plant a hedgerow, for example.
We suggest a minimum donation of £1 per tree, to cover our material costs. This is so we can continue to grow more trees for residents in the next season. Without these small donations our community tree nursery would unfortunately not be sustainable.
The tree species we grow
We have a focus on growing mostly native edible trees. These provide maximum benefit to both wildlife and humans.
Bird Cherry
A magnet for pollinators in spring with masses of almond scented flowers that develop into tiny, bitter fruits loved by birds. Bird Cherry can grow up to 25m when mature. Find out more
Available in 2027
Blackthorn
A favourite for making sloe gin! Grows to 7m with beautiful clouds of flowers in early spring followed by dark blue fruits that glow on the tree in autumn and winter. Find out more
Available October 2026
Bullace
A wild plum, best eaten when fully ripe or used in jams, jellies, chutneys and gins. Grows to around 8m or as a bush with lightly fragrant flowers in spring. Find out more
Available October 2026
Cherry Plum
One of the first trees to blossom in the UK, producing delicious fruits that are an ancestor of the domestic plum. Grows up to 8m, loved by pollinators and birds. Find out more
Available October 2026
Crab apple
The original wild apple! Growing up to 10m with beautiful, scented white blossoms in spring and a bounty of small fruits loved by wildlife. Find out more
Available in 2027
Elder
Elderberries are used to make drinks and desserts - be aware that unripe and uncooked berries are toxic. Loved by pollinators, birds & mammals. Grows to 15m. Find our more
Available October 2026
Hazel
Hazel nuts are prized by humans and wildlife! Lovely hanging yellow catkins in late winter before coming into leaf. Can be coppiced or left to grow to 12m high. Find out more
Available October 2026
Rowan
A stunning tree with feathered leaves, clusters of flowers in spring and red berries in autumn and winter. Loved by pollinators in spring and birds in winter. Grows to 15m. Find out more
Available October 2026
Silver Birch
Stunning white bark and provider of dappled shade, perfect for gardens. Silver birch grows to 15m and supports over 300 insect species. Find out more
Available in 2027
Wild Cherry
Dark bark, white flowers and masses of tiny cherry fruits loved by birds. Supports early pollinators and feeds many caterpillar species. Grows up to 30m. Find out more
Available in 2027
Wild pear
Gorgeous white flowers in spring and sweet pear fruits, growing up to 12m high. Supports pollinators, birds, moths and butterflies throughout the year. Find out more
Available in 2027
Get in touch
Got a question about our community tree nursery?
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