Corylus Horticulture: Nurturing Nature, Inspiring Community

Based in Midlothian, Corylus Horticulture focus on the interconnectedness of the environment and community, helping people reconnect with nature. After receiving funding from Firstport, they have gone on to receive further support from us, growing and expanding their impact.

Image of Ed from Corylus Horticulture holding a plant and smiling at the camera

An environmental and social focus

Starting in 2019, the Corylus Horticulture nursery grows plants using sustainable and environmentally aware practices. They are tackling the issue of the disconnection between society and nature and want to encourage a sense of wonder and a deeper connection with plants.

Through outreach in local primary schools, they engage with 100 children a week, focusing on making positive connections between people and plants.

As well as outreach in schools, they sell plants in their nursery and look after several private gardens. The nursery produces over 1000 semi-mature trees, shrubs, and countless herbaceous plants.

Corylus Horticulture sees itself as part of a growing number of organisations having an environmental and social impact. Becoming a social enterprise helped them focus their social and environmental aims with the practical requirements of running a business. With support from Firstport, they’ve been able to develop a business model that meets their social and financial ambitions.

Image of Ed planting shrubs at Corylus Horticulture

Plants at the Corylus Horticulture nursery

Meet the Founder

Having dedicated 25 years to horticulture, Ed McCardy has years of experience working in garden maintenance and landscaping, large scale nursery production and Botanical Garden horticulture. These experiences heightened his awareness of the lack of environmentally friendly practices in the sector. He was also struck by the limited workers’ rights and the resulting malaise that affected many of the teams he worked with.

Ed added:

“Plants are amazing, however, within the industry many people seem disconnected from them. Corylus Horticulture focuses on instilling a connection of wonder and passion in plants, both for any workers we have and participants in our outreach educational programmes. Plants have helped me become the person I am today.”

How Firstport supported Corylus Horticulture

Corylus Horticulture secured Start It in 2017, Build It in 2019 and Boost It in 2021. They have also been part of LaunchMe, our investment-readiness programme. When Ed initially applied to Firstport, he was new to social enterprise. He asked a lot of questions and got enthusiastic support and an instilled confidence from the Firstport team.

Before receiving Build It from Firstport, Corylus had previously been unsuccessful, but they took on board the feedback and developed their business approach for their next application.

This year, Ed participated in our Building Finance Confidence and LaunchMe programmes and received support to strengthen the financial management capabilities of Corylus Horticulture.

The Firstport team visited the site this year, and it was fantastic to see the work that goes into running the nursery first-hand.

Image of Ed planting at the Corylus Horticulture nursery

What’s next for Corylus Horticulture?

Ed shared exciting plans on the horizon for them:

“We are currently propagating more plants with a plan to expand by partnering with another nursery to grow plants in innovative ways. They want to spread their outreach projects to secondary schools in 2026. They will also be collaborating with a local psychotherapist to begin day retreats at their nursery site, with the aim of helping adults to reconnect with nature and themselves through gardening.”

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Curious about Build It? Join one of our upcoming Build It Office Hours or email us today at info@firstport.org.uk.