Native Trees from Seed

The challenge

Practical, trustworthy information on how to grow native trees was scarce online. Having written content on the subject years earlier, we saw an opportunity to share that knowledge more widely by building a dedicated website. The aim was to create a simple, structured, content-first resource that could also serve as a testing ground for new web design methods.

Native Trees from Seed website screenshot

Our approach

The site, launched in July 2023, was structured into four clear sections:

  • Tree identification
  • How to grow trees
  • General tree-growing advice
  • Conservation insights

The design was deliberately minimal to keep the focus on content. At the same time, we used the project to trial new technical approaches for building streamlined, fast-loading websites.

A screenshot of a page about growing ash trees from seed

The outcome

In the last 12 months, nativetreesfromseed.com gained:

  • 17.8 million impressions and 68,000 clicks in Google Search (Search Console).
  • Average ranking position of 9 across thousands of queries.
  • Dozens of keywords ranking in the top 5, including “how to grow hazelnuts from seed” and “ash tree seeds”.
  • Visitors spend an average of 1 minute 24 seconds engaging with content.
  • Steady, consistent growth in visibility month by month.
  • An expanding audience of readers using the site as a trusted reference for native tree knowledge.

This project not only met its original goal of making knowledge accessible but also demonstrated how thoughtful structure, clean design, and SEO awareness can combine to deliver major reach.

A graph showing website users over time

What this shows

Even a niche passion project can achieve remarkable reach when content is structured clearly, written with authority, and supported by SEO best practice. By focusing on clarity, usability, and content depth, we created a site that not only shares valuable knowledge but also demonstrates how thoughtful web design can deliver real impact.

Link to website