one-day course

living willow structures

venue: Hackney City Farm, London

You can create fences, arbors or garden furniture that's alive.

Willow rods can be planted during the winter to produce a living, vibrant structure that same spring. During the day you will learn the skills required to design living willow pieces, purchase materials and create functional and sculptural structures for an outdoor space. You will work as a team creating a small tunnel on-site.

Topics covered include:

  • choosing a site
  • types of living willow
  • preparing the site
  • construction techniques
  • maintenance

The course is led by Julie Starks who has made many innovative structures and sculptures from living willow and other coppice materials. Based in Bath, she has worked in many private and public gardens, schools, youth centers, and community farms through-out the UK. Her work includes creature tunnels, storytelling circles, living willow animals and insects, a wedding reception circle, decorative fencing and play houses.

more on living willow structures


how to book:
  

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free
arrive:
  
around 9.30 for a 10am prompt start
depart:
  
after the course finishes at 5pm
directions:
  
click here for a map and directions to Hackney City Farm
what to bring:
  
work clothes; pen and notebook; packed lunch (if you're not using the cafe)
let us know:
  
if you have any special needs
price:
  
£60
lunch:
  
bring a packed lunch or you can get lunch at the cafe
discounts:
 
car sharing:
  
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 

living willow woven seat base and arbor with oak seat top. The 'basket' seat is filled with soil into which the willow ends are planted.





 


a simple 'fedge' or living fence

 


 

 

recently-planted living willow tunnel in the ground of a school