Winter willow beds at Withysmythe Meadow

10,000 years ago when most humans were far-ranging hunter gatherers everyday items were stored and carried in baskets- light, and therefore easy to carry. As people began to settle in one place pottery started to appear as the storage method of choice, but basketry is making a comeback here in Britain…

Growing willow has become increasingly popular in the UK over the last 5 years, on a small scale to add colour to a border or for wildlife, and on a larger scale, to start a willow growing and basketry business.

We have been growing and cultivating basketry willow here at Withysmythe Meadow for the past 5 years ourselves and have around 15 varieties of beautiful different coloured rods.

a willow rainbow of shades from different varieties

Our ground is ideal as it is made of heavy clay and is very wet, so our willow thrives in these conditions.

Planting usually takes place between December and March for best results.

A willow bed is fairly easy to prepare, although if you have a deer or rabbit problem the area will need to be fenced off first. After this the area is covered with pegged down black weed suppressant fabric, which may not be everyone’s initial choice, but for small areas it’s ideal.

Each cutting is 30 cm/1ft long. The willow rods need to be pushed into the ground about 3 quarters of the way and about 10 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. The new shoots will need cutting back each year once all the leaves have dropped and the same rules apply for cutting and planting when the plant is dormant between December and March.

Your freshly cut willow can be used straightaway, but is best left to mellow for a few weeks, although it does have the tendency to shrink slightly whilst drying.

These ‘withys’ will take about 3 months to completely dry out, and then can be used for making basketry items.

For all living willow items, the willow used can be cut and put straight into the ground. In the case of cuttings they will survive after being cut for a good month or so if kept in the fridge after purchasing.

A rough soaking guide for Dried willow is generally 1 day per foot, but this can vary between varieties. At Withysmythe Meadow we usually soak ours for about a week prior to use in the summer months, but in winter it can take a bit longer due to the water being colder.

a winter willow sunrise at Withysmythe Meadow

So if you are keen to start growing your own willow you will be pleased to hear that we will soon have for sale the following varieties for cuttings:

Flanders Red, Brittany Green, Dicky Meadows, Packing Twine, Cardinallis Yellow, Harrisons Purple, Continental Purple, Hutchingsons Yellow, Noire de villaine, Eugine green, Pheasant brown, Black hollander, Gold stone, Black maul and Reeders Red.