Poyntzfield Herb Nursery
Poyntzfield Herb Nursery, Black Isle, Scotland, IV7 8LX
They sell organically and biodynamically grown herb plants and seeds, both online and in person, all grown by them in the herb nursery.
Enter through the walled garden gate to access the herb nursery
Within the sheltering warmth of the walled garden at Poyntzfield House on the Black Isle, about 40 minutes north of Inverness, you can visit this treasure trove of a herbal nursery.
Surrounded by woodland, the herb nursery is located centrally on the beautiful Black Isle peninsula, a reasonably flat farming area, with roads lined by hedgerows and a number of accessible cycle routes. Within the walls of the Poyntzfield House’s former kitchen garden, Duncan Ross first established Poyntzfield Herbs in 1976. A family business, the herb nursery was passed from father to son, Finlay, in 2022. Following organic and biodynamic principles, the plants are free from synthetic fertilisers. You can return your plastic pots for 5p. If you order your plants online, they come wrapped in paper.
Plant sales at Poyntzfield in July 2026
Browse and buy
A huge milk thistle is the jagged centrepiece among aromatic herbs. Surrounded by lavender, thyme, fennel, dyer’s chamomile, borage, yarrow, angelica and more of the classic herb garden choices, the nursery beds are a feast for the senses. Fruit trees and a lean-to greenhouse make the most of the heat from the walls. A little shop with the till and seed packets can be found at the gate as you arrive.
You can browse how the plants grow, smell, thrive, and attract insects before you make your choice. The main problem will be narrowing down what you want to take home.
If you can’t make it up in person, use their website to find out what plants are in stock and order for delivery. But check their website for the most up-to-date instructions.
Milk thistle surrounded by aromatic and colourful herbs in the nursery beds.
Milk thistle
Botanical name: Silybum marianum
Gaelic name: Fothannan beannaichte
Poppies, artichoke, rosemary, agastache at Poyntzfield Herb Nursery
Herbal homeground
Visiting Poyntzfield Herb Nursery was like a homecoming of sorts for me. It’s the first specialist herb nursery I used in my personal and professional life to plant several herb gardens.
Firstly, in my garden in Glasgow. Paper-wrapped plants with wooden plant labels arrived in a box padded with newspaper one spring. At that time, there was a short window for mail orders and, from memory, I’d missed the autumn window and waited impatiently for spring.
In a project at The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, I worked with the head gardener and a project manager to set up a new medicinal courtyard within the garden with the help of a group of volunteers. Following that, while working at Little Sparta on the edge of the Pentland Hills, we introduced a range of herbs to the kitchen garden (called the Kailyard) and the allotment space. From there, I set up my new home herb garden when I moved to Dunoon and started building a herb gardening business. This led to working on an exciting new project at the POP shop in Dunoon to create a drinks-makers’ garden for their social enterprise, Dunoon Goes POP where we again received a mail order of herbs from Poyntzfield.
What I loved about their website when I first started researching what to buy, was the names of the plants listed included the Gaelic names too. Sometimes, several Gaelic names. As a student of language, gardens, food growing and culture, their website gave me insight into the world of plants and their interconnections.
Take a trip and see what new plant you will come home with.
Spring 2024 delivery from Poyntzfield Herbs
Support Scotland’s Herb Growers
I’m gathering a list of Scotland’s herb nurseries and farms or market gardens to feature on the blog, to make it easier for you, herb gardeners and herbalists, to find who is growing what near you.
Support our growing community by visiting in person or buying online from these growers.
Other growers:
Plants with Purpose, Stanley, by Perth.
I’ve also purchased organic farm herbs at Pillars of Hercules in Fife.
More to be added soon!