Food Growing
We will increase levels of food growing in the local community to build self-reliance and self-sufficiency and improve access to fresh, affordable, healthy, locally-produced food
Allotments
​• Interested in gardening and want to grow your own food?
• Want to learn and share gardening skills?
• A place to improve physical and mental well-being?
• Make new friends?
​
Traditional individual allotment are plots to grow your own fruit and vegetables. Plots can vary from a full plot to half or even quarter plot, so you needn’t feel daunted about taking on and maintaining a large plot. Also, it's a chance to attend training events, seed swap, obtain unusual and heritage varieties through events like a Potato Day, use a shared polytunnel for seed germination & propagation, and make use of a tool library.
The benefits of allotments in terms of growing your own food, understanding the value of local food, and improving the physical and mental health of those involved are well-known.
​
We need to create more sustainable communities with local food grown near to homes. Allotments also provide an important social focus for community life.
​
Our plans for the provision of 145 allotments and associated infrastructure received planning approval in November 2025
​
Community Orchard
A community orchard will be a public open space and edible garden, for growing of fruit trees, shrubs and bushes. These could include heritage and local varieties that grow well in the Highlands.
​
It will also be a focus for community events such as Apple Days, seasonal festivities, training events on growing and maintaining fruit trees and volunteer days to help maintain the orchard.
Community Growing
• Interested in gardening and horticulture?
• Want a source of fresh local fruit and vegetables?
• Want to learn about food growing and new skills?
• Want an allotment but feel you can’t commit the time to it?
• Want to make new friends and interested in volunteering?
One use of part of the land at Knocknagael, will be for community growing. of local fruit and vegetables to provide a source of fresh produce for the local population in and around Inverness.
Where people work together to look after a garden, it is a chance to learn skills and receive training in horticulture, to learn how to grow food, in addition to fresh fruit and vegetables being available locally. We can make new friends by volunteering and it's an opportunity for different members of the community to receive work experience and improve their well-being. Community Growing is both educational and therapeutic.