The inside story of the Scottish Borders' Stichill Forest Nursery

ONLY a few miles separate the affluent Scottish Borders town of Kelso from the village of Stichill. Quite some time has passed since a couple of astute brothers named Rogers, who felt that growing trees could ensure their future prosperity, were able to satisfy their requirements regarding soils, water supply, available acreage and accommodation in the village’s locality. Established on the community’s undulating outskirts, Stichill Forest Nursery enjoys a superb view towards Scotland’s natural border with England: the low, rounded Cheviot Hills.

Ian Rogers, who inherited Stichill Forest Nursery from his father George and his Uncle Frank, explained: “Forestry was burgeoning in 1950s Scotland when the brothers saw their opportunity and bought land that had originally been a croft.

Ian Rogers, who usually works alone at the Stichill Forest Nursery, has recently acquired a loyal canine companion, Sam. When it comes to Christmas trees, Ian is a traditionalist. Norway spruce is his focus, but he has tried some of the firs. (Image: FJ)

“There was a cottage, the ground was good and over time they increased the holding to 14 acres, all tree planted. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) was the conifer everyone wanted back then, so they planted thousands of them every year. By the 1970s they were employing up to 10 workers who not only did nursery work but also undertook planting and maintenance jobs in the Scottish Borders and beyond.”

Following WWII and the resulting huge reduction in Britain’s commercial timber reserves, the government had advised the Forestry Commission to concentrate on increasing commercial timber production. Where better to plant large conifer forests than Scotland, with its bare acres of damp, cool and sparsely populated upland terrain? Military expertise underpinned the role of the recently formed Forest Engineers, while developing the forestry industry would also offer employment to the many ex-soldiers seeking jobs.

The damage to this beech was caused by a deer rubbing its antlers against the tree. The animal found its way into the nursery some time ago but is proving difficult to evict. So far the wily creature has managed to avoid every attempt designed to turn it into venison. (Image: FJ)

Reforestation in mid-20th-century Scotland was encouraged through a range of tax concessions. For example, introduced in 1947, the aim of the Dedication Scheme was to persuade landowners and farmers to agree official arrangements with the FC to give a proportion of their lands over to forestry in exchange for grants.

Initially, the government set Britain’s reforestation goal at 20,000–25,000 ha annually. In response, the number of exotic conifers planted in Scotland increased exponentially between 1950 and 1980. By the late 1990s, the reforestation target had risen to 33,000 ha. Scotland is credited with having undertaken almost 80 per cent of the new plantings made in Great Britain from the 1970s to the 1990s.

The development of a tractor mounted spraying system avoids the heavy work of carrying a knapsack-type reservoir, and herbicide can still be accurately targeted with a wand if necessary. (Image: FJ)

Sitka spruce is, of course, still in demand, but since taking over ownership of the Stichill Forest Nursery, Ian has gradually reduced its production of the conifer.

“I didn’t want to enter into competition with the big-name national growers, so over time I’ve wound business at the Stichill Forest Nursery down to a level I’m comfortable with,” he said. “I work mostly on my own, but a couple of local lads join me when needed. The flexibility suits both me and them.

“My wife Christine also helps by undertaking regular grass-cutting duty. Impressed by the ease with which a demo Kubota ride-on mower cut through long grass, she insisted we bought one. That was a while ago, but she still thinks it a great machine.”

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These days, Ian remarked, new housing projects are Stichill Forest Nursery’s main customer base. “People visit, choose what they want and quite often I can offer them a deal that helps shift stuff on. Sales focus mainly on hedging and native trees.

“I grow a wide range of hedging including hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, crab apple and laurel, and I also containerise a small amount of Leylandii, but beech is the first choice for hedging. The taller beech is for those who want an ‘instant wood’. I ensure that the plants we sell have a well-shaped root ball that will aid establishment and promote growth.

There was a time when many of Edinburgh’s tenement dwellers celebrated the festive season with a Norway spruce supplied to the local greengrocer by Stichill Forest Nursery. Trends in Christmas tree species come and go but those who prefer the traditional Christmas conifer are able to select from a range of ready-cut trees at the Stichill Forest Nursery. ‘Cut your own Christmas Tree’ is also a popular seasonal experience. (Image: FJ)

“Beech isn’t native to Scotland, but it does pretty well in the Scottish Borders’ temperate climate. However, hot, dry weather can cause it to have problems.”
Stichill Forest Nursery used to grow its own beech from locally-collected seed, but Ian pointed out that it was a painstaking and time-consuming process for little reward. When the last lot he tried failed to germinate well, he had had enough. Now he buys cell-grown trees locally from Cheviot Trees, Berwick-upon-Tweed, and plants them out at Stichill. That way he does not miss out on any opportunities.

Besides beech, he also grows the hardwoods oak, Norway maple, gean, bird cherry and rowan. Ian admits there is no rhyme or reason to what he plants: “Some of the folk who visit Stichill Forest Nursery just want a wee corner filled and allow me to decide what goes in.”

Ian, who admits to trying to avoid grant work, which can be difficult, revealed that most of his regular customers are local to the area. “I juggle my time between looking after the nursery and earning money. When a farmer is acting on his own behalf I’ll try to prepare the ground specified the season before as it makes for easier planting and follow-up work. Doing so can be hard graft though, particularly when it’s warm and you’re clearing rampant weeds from high hedges.”

It is not often that Stichill Forest Nursery experiences a reluctant payer, but those who have to be pressurised into parting with their money need not expect to call upon Ian’s services again. “It’s very annoying when a lot of effort has been put in on someone’s behalf and they withhold payment,” he said.

Stichill Forest Nursery maintains three fields of Christmas trees. Grown in a sustainable environment, the Norway spruce (Picea abies) are planted in rows for ease of management operations. 

The nursery used to supply the traditional Christmas conifers to greengrocers across Edinburgh, who sold them on to tenement dwellers. Times change, however, and these days Ian retails on-site. From ready-cut trees to ‘cut-your-own’ specimens, Stichill Forest Nursery’s aim is to attract and satisfy the festive requirements of a broad range of customers. 

Christine, who is artistically gifted, crafts stylishly ornamented wreaths using the stiff, enduring foliage of the Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana). She also puts her pottery skills to good use when producing a host of appealing Christmas tree decorations and ornaments. Any over-sized trees are put to use by local equine interests requiring jumps, etc.

The area around Kelso in the Scottish Borders is famed for the quality of its agricultural land. Understandably, extensive coniferous plantations were never going to feature in the landscape. Producing quality trees was, however, seen as an eminently suitable land use; as is the breeding of racehorse bloodlines. (Image: FJ)

Christmas tree trends come and go, but Ian won’t be abandoning Norway spruce. 
A trial planting of the South-Eastern USA’s Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) has caused him considerable frustration. “Terrible things; seriously slow growing,” he said. “You prune them, but will they grow to the shape you want? Norway spruce is much easier to work on.”

If necessity is the mother of invention, Ian certainly counts. To avoid wearing a weighty knapsack sprayer he has designed and built a sprayer that attaches to a small tractor.  What’s more, when there is scrap to be taken to the local scrapyard, his interest in engineering ensures that he rarely returns home without a trailer full of carefully selected implement parts in readiness for his next project.