Background

Nestled in the heart of the Scottish Borders, Faldonside Eco is a family-run estate with a vision to restore nature and live sustainably. Since taking over the estate in 2022, three generations of the family have been working to regenerate the land, create an organic market garden, and deliver environmental education.

As part of their transformation of the historic two-century-old Walled Garden, they approached Keder Greenhouse in late 2024 to help expand their year-round food production. With a desire to grow more diverse and temperature-sensitive crops, and to offer training and events focused on sustainable growing, they needed a solution that could thrive in the unpredictable Scottish climate.

The Solution

We installed a Keder Smallholder greenhouse, measuring 6m x 18m, tailored to suit their growing needs. The structure includes:

• Doors at both ends for easy access
• Upper and lower staging for propagation and working space
• Manual side vents for maximum ventilation
• Crop rails to support vertical growing systems such as tomatoes and vine crops
• Highly durable Keder cladding to insulate crops and protect against harsh weather


Why Keder?

For Faldonside, the benefits of a Keder system were clear - durability, insulation, and longevity - crucial factors in the often challenging Scottish weather. With the added value of increased crop variety, a longer growing season, and improved energy efficiency, it became a perfect fit for their permaculture-led ethos.

At Keder Greenhouse, this is not our first experience supporting visionary landowners with a deep respect for history and heritage. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with several historic homes and estates across the UK, helping restore and revitalise traditional walled gardens while preserving their unique character.

These collaborations often require a balance of modern growing technology with sensitive design - ensuring our structures complement period architecture, conserve biodiversity, and enhance the legacy of these spaces. Whether integrating into Georgian estates or Victorian kitchen gardens, our greenhouses offer discreet strength, long-term durability, and an elegant presence that works in harmony with heritage landscapes.

Projects like Faldonside continue this tradition, proving that regenerative agriculture, ecological stewardship, and historical sensitivity are not mutually exclusive – they can flourish together.

Results

Only a few months after installation, the team at Faldonside Eco are already seeing tangible benefits:

• Peppers and other heat-loving crops are thriving - something previously unthinkable in their location
• The greenhouse has extended their productive season into the winter months
• Frost-tolerant crops are now grown successfully during colder periods
• The space has become a central hub for organic training courses and hands-on workshops

Their gardening team, led by expert grower Nick Major, is now using the structure to experiment with local heritage varieties and microgreens, supporting both community food supply and biodiversity.

Electra Hatcher, General Business Director at Keder commented
“From initial discussions to final build completion, Jamie and the team at Faldonside have been a pleasure to work with. Nick really looked after the team, even going out to dinner with them one evening.”

Karen Blackport, Faldonside Eco Director commented
"We first came across Keder Greenhouse through a Google search in September 2024 while looking for weatherproof growing environments. Being based in the Scottish Borders, we were initially concerned that the unpredictable weather would limit our ability to grow organically. However, after doing more research, we were delighted to discover that with a Keder structure, we could successfully grow a wide range of crops – even heat-loving varieties – all year round.

The Keder team were incredibly efficient and helpful throughout. We paid our deposit in October to secure an installation date for a 6m x 18m Keder Smallholder Greenhouse.

By mid-March, the team arrived as scheduled and quickly got to work digging the foundations and constructing the structure. Within the week, the greenhouse was fully assembled and ready for us to begin using.

We're absolutely delighted with the final result and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Keder to anyone considering a greenhouse solution."

Looking Ahead

The Keder structure continues to play an essential role in Faldonside’s future plans, which include increasing local food production, hosting more educational events, and opening up eco-accommodation for visitors in 2026. We’re proud to support their vision for a thriving, sustainable estate and can’t wait to see what they grow next.
Are you planning your own growing transformation?

Explore our Smallholder Greenhouse range and see how we can help bring your vision to life.
👉 Visit www.kedergreenhouse.co.uk

📞 Call us on 01386 49094 to speak with one of our team.