Living Willow Tunnel for sensory garden

[bofh]

Morning folks, I'm on the hunt for a decent amount of Willow or Hazel sticks to build a Willow Tunnel for a young child's sensory garden in the Gravesend Kent area.

 

It's something I'm doing for free so I'd appreciate any ideas as to where I can get hold of what I need, anyone know someone in North Kent that could help with materials?

 

It's not something I've done before so any advice would be appreciated

[jamiep]

Hi mate,

 

Can't help with the materials but the main thing is to use something to make the holes with before you push the willow or hazel in. This protects the bark and allows the plants to have a good start and get established more easily.

 

I've always used various pieces of old wood or a metal bar, keep the area moist and they should take well.

 

There's loads of good 'how to' demos on the web to give you loads of helpful advice too cheers.

 

All the best,

 

Jamie

[Spacey]

Get in touch with your local utility arbs, as re coppicing willow/hazel is a regular thing on line clearance. As it will have been (or should be) cut on a three or five year cycle you get really nice straight whippy lengths ranging as thick as 2.5cm upto 10cm seems to be the normal growth diameter for that period.

All I do is fire it straight through the orange beast, but I couldn't see it being too much hassle to row it out and bunch it up for collection or delivery?

I'm not in a position to help as I'm the other side of the country...

Hope it works out

[woodyguy]

Sorry if I'm stating the bleeding obvious, but now it's in leaf you won't be able to do this before November at the earliest.

[bofh]

Many thanks for the info guys, if it has to wait until November it's not a problem, I've got a whole garden to design so will be busy. The lady is on a zero budget so it's not going to get transformed over night.

 

I'll chase a few firms in the area and see what I can find.

[treedom]

Keep the cut willow wet to giuve them as good a chance to take between cutting and replanting

[growforest]

Make sure you have a good, deep, friable soil for the plants to root into, with plenty of organic matter dug in to retain moisture. School grounds are notorious for having former buildings under them. Always do a few test pits (sorry if this is stating the obvious, but I found out the hard way once)

Careful with some of the willows used for biomass - they grow quick and are pretty ugly.

Salix viminalis and s.triandra are good varieties, if you can get them.

[jamiep]

Hazel and willow is best used for living structures when its actively growing - i.e. now. If you wait til november then thats too late so it's best to get started asap mate (but obviously don't disturb nesting birds or wildlife).