Billy & I have been wanting to divide our garden to allow our chickens to roam in safety - away from potentially marauding Jack Russells/feline articles, and I'd seen lovely pictures on Pinterest of artfully created willow fences. I enquired around and found Wasseldine Willows who were prepared to come to us with the materials, and to teach us on site how to make our fence. So finally last month Guy from Wasseldine turned up one sunny morning with a trailer full of willow and hazel stakes, and we got stuck in. He started off with the setting out of the hazel stakes - we drew a line in the earth and tapped them in at 6 inch centres and then we started to weave. There are two techniques - both of which I was familiar with from tapestry weaving. Guy wove the first layer of twining - and then set me to work for the second layer. We then went onto standard weaving - which was surprisingly easy to do and quicker than it looks. I had a go, then Billy took over, and Guy and I set out the fence on the other side of the central arch. We had to take occasional breaks, as it was a fierce sunny day - we drank plenty, and had to regularly hose down the willow under sopping wool blankets to keep it moist and workable.
We decided to use different colours of willow - using yellow for the twining - and having breaks in the weaving. The fence was in a wave shape on the ground and also vertically - being higher near the arch and toward the house. The strips of weaving between the gaps were also of different thickness, which meant we had to add partial rows to build up sections - just like in tapestry woven panels. The design was very organic - we stood back and discussed how we should proceed at regular intervals, which was a pleasing way to work. It was a lovely day with a patient teacher, and at the end of it the fence on one side of the arch was completed, and the other was side set out ready for Billy & I to complete over the following days - whereupon the weather changed, and it rained repeatedly - every time we went out to do some weaving! Although this was not entirely a bad thing - we needed to keep the willow wet after all! Billy took to weaving with willow - and was probably better at it than I was by the end. We are so pleased with the finished fence - it's not just a divider for the garden - it is definitely a feature which adds to the feel of the garden. I look forward to growing a few pretty things up it just to add to the cottage garden feel. Michele Comments are closed.
|
ABOUT USWe are a group who enjoy learning and improving our skills and are genuinely interested in sharing these skills with each other and any one who would like to join us. Archives
December 2021
Categories
All
|