We can weave with a wide variety of materials, but typically, willow and hazel are used most often. The willow we are growing comes in a wide variety of colours and sizes…..

We’re growing Flanders Red, a greeny-red willow, Yelverton which is bright red, Norbury which is very delicate and dark purple, the wonderful golden yellow Jaune Hautive, dark brown Noire de Villaine, green Osier, and light brown Dickie Meadows. We have purple Purpurea and Golden Willow from Long Mead. We’ve also just planted Daphnoides Continental Purple which is shiny dark purple like black chocolate, and the golden-red rods of Chermensina, both donated from Monsieur Jardin gardener David, White Welsh, Coho Blue, Blue Stem and some giant Swedish Osier as well aa some contorted willow. Hill End donated us some vigorous green Osier which is very useful for living structures and arches as well as fencing, and rake handles!

The different varieties of willow will dry various colours, and when freshly cut in the winter they really glow. They can be used fresh or ‘in the green’ for a few weeks after cutting, or they can be dried and soaked for reuse anytime in the year.

Hazel rods from our coppicing projects have many purposes, including being used to make frameworks for living willow structures.