Carol and James Titcomb, who run Da Barn in Hillswick, the UK’s most northerly ornamental plant nursery, have celebrated the opening of Da Potting Shed, their indoor retail plant shop on the island’s town of Lerwick.

A mix of houseplants, growing essentials, garden accessories and local art and crafts, it adjoins the neighbouring yard which they have been renting and retailing plants from for about a year. The chance to buy the former hairdressers building and the yard means Carol and James can now forge ahead and grow their retailing enterprise.

To stock the shop, the Titcomb’s made the 1500-mile round trip to Glee, where they sourced products from companies including Tilnar Art and Greenman Garden Tools. They also picked up an electric van for the nursery which it shares with several other local community enterprises.

On the nursery, Carol told GTN she carefully chooses her stock list of plants best suited to the Shetland weather. Around 90% is produced from seeds or cuttings to ensure plants are grown as hard as possible to give customers the best displays during the short summer which is usually mid-May to mid-September. Favourites on Shetland are Livingstone daisy, lupin and foxgloves, but Carol’s list of around 500 different plants means there is still much for gardeners to choose from. 

Not surprisingly, gardening can be difficult on the island with it not uncommon for all four seasons of weather to be experienced in one day. Surprisingly instances of snow and frost on the nursery are only occasional but it’s the strong, salt-ladened winds and low light levels which are the most challenging.  Since the nursery opened seven years ago James has learnt much about tunnel construction and he now adapts them with solid doors and strengthening cross struts and he covers metal hoops in plastic feeding tubes recycled from the fish farming.

Recycling is an important part of the nursery. Bread trays are used as supports for plant benches at the nursery (and soon at Da Potting Shed), and an aquaponic irrigation system is being trialled. Customers are also incentivised with a refund to bring back plant pots.

The nursery is open to the public and Da Barn plants are also sold wholesale to a number of shops across the mainland and some of the surrounding islands. 

Da Potting Shed on Fort Road, Lerwick is currently open Tuesday to Saturday 11am-5pm

www.dabarn.co.uk

01806 202212