It isn't really too difficult to grow trees on Coll. Firstly you must decide whether you want a small forest similar to the one at The Lodge or Gallanach or maybe something a bit smaller, rather like a clump of trees or a belt of trees for shelter or privacy. Once you have trees established around your premises you will find that in addition to giving you pleasure as they change in appearance throughout the year they attract a variety of birds you might otherwise miss.

The first thing to do is have a good look at the area you propose to plant. If it is wet you will have to drain it. Although young trees need moisture they will not survive if left with permanent wet feet. If it is a peaty area you would be well advised to give each plant a dressing of ground mineral phosphate, approx. 30 grams per tree. If you are planting in good mould, leave your young trees 1 year to get established then apply a dressing of proprietary fertiliser. At the perimeter of your planting area for rapid growth I would recommend Goat Willow at a spacing of approx 4ft. You will be surprised how quickly they will provide a. shelter and you will find almost every cutting you take off your willows in later years will take root and form a new tree just by simply sticking them in the ground.

For your main area if you fancy Pine trees you could do a lot worse than Lodgepole Pine or Austrian Pine as they have both proved to do well on Coll. If you prefer something a bit more bushy, you could go for Alder or Rowan, again both species have proved they can do well on Coll. Plant your main area at approx. 6ft 6in spacing. If you decide to grow trees and know what you want it is advisable to place your order with the Nursery of your choice in plenty of time otherwise you may find the plants you want sold out or not even stocked there, in which case you have time to shop around.

Good luck with the tree growing, Coll may yet be famous for its forests!