We carried out a living willow project with The Wildflower Centre, Liverpool in the spring this year. The project was to create a sheltered space using living willow where local families could take their small children to play. We worked with local volunteers over 2 days to design and plant the structures. The willow has grown really well and the volunteers are doing a great job of maintaining their new park feature.
I cut the first living willow rods of the new season today, there was snow on the distant lakeland hills but it was a nice warm afternoon in the sun with frost lingering in the shaded places. Our first school project will be in 8 days time when we work with a school to build a willow area in their grounds.
We still have some days available if you would like a living willow project for you school or community group.
The structure looks wonderful after the first growing season.
ReplyDeleteMost of my willow here still have all the leaves on and we usually harvest late winter/early spring.
its strange how somw willow varieties hang on to their leaves late into the autumn. our Flanders Red willow is still very green and seems determined to keep growing. but our biomass will rods are bare and ready for harvest. in fact we shall be cutting some in the morning for a school project in Lancashire.
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