Diarmuid Gavin’s guide to growing and creating living structures with wondrous willow

Willow structures can range from simple tunnels or wigwams to elaborate artistic installations. And all of them invite us to be involved. It’s almost like drawing with plants… with the added incentive of realising that once spring arrives, whatever we’ve created will bud up and burst into life.

So let’s take a look at the humble willow in a few of its forms and examine the possibilities of planting, harvesting and creating with this extraordinary plant.

In the past, willow was grown mainly for domestic purposes. The long stems were used for making fishing traps, baskets and fences. A number of craftsmen have carried on the tradition that, for many, had been handed down the generations. In place of the practical day-to-day items, they have entered a new era and created some of the most elegant garden structures, using willow in new and exciting ways.

Willow has a unique look: long, smooth stems with long, thin leaves that produce a wonderfully light shade in the garden. In order to obtain the long, flexible branches, the trees need to be coppiced. This means pruning hard, right back to the plant’s main trunk, at the right time of year.

The tree reacts to the hard pruning by sending out large numbers of long, thin stems, which are then harvested for weaving. These stems are often referred to as unrooted rods or wands, and it is these that are planted into the ground between the months of November and March. In the following season, they will burst into life to produce fantastic living structures.

Salix viminalis (known as common osier) is an excellent species for this purpose. Its coppiced stems have an amazing rooting ability, and it is used to create ingenious woven play areas and wigwams for children, as well as tunnels, domes and arbours in which benches or other garden seating can be placed for a restful retreat.

Willow fencing and screens can be surprisingly robust if constructed well, and of course there is no need to cover them with climbing plants to green them up.

Some pruning and weaving-in of new branches will be required to maintain the look of the willow, but there is the obvious advantage of not needing to treat it with wood preservative or to replace it, as is the case with most wooden fences. The beauty of a willow fence is that it can be easily shaped to fit into a space, or around a grassy mound or playhouse. It is also possible to incorporate arches or round windows within the weave.

Other species of willow can be used for differing effects. The weeping willow (above) is a majestic specimen tree but is far too outsized for the average garden. A more suitable specimen is wonderfully twisted Salix tortuosa or corkscrew willow.

Or for something a little different, the Japanese pink pussy willow, ‘Mount Aso’, is a lovely new variety of Salix or willow, with soft, pretty pink catkins in late winter and early spring. It was selected for breeding by a cut-flower specialist in Japan who spotted its decorative potential for indoor flower vases. They can be used as fresh flowering stems or dried for flower arrangements. It will make a beautiful specimen for your winter garden, and children will be beguiled as well by the soft pussy willows.

Plant of the week

Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ It’s always a pleasure to come across a Daphne in the garden in January. ‘Aureomarginata’ is one of the easiest Daphnes to grow and flowers from now until March, emitting a strong perfume from its small pale-pink flowers. The subtle gold margin around the leaves gives a welcome brightness during the dimly lit months of winter. Plant in a sunny, fertile soil, and no pruning is necessary unless you need to restrict its size.

Reader Q&A

The leaves on my pear tree are covered in orange spots that might be pear rust. I’ve heard a remedy for this is bicarb of soda — is this right and how do you do it? — Dave

As we are retreating from chemicals in gardening, it’s great to look to alternative homemade solutions. Bicarbonate of soda has been found effective in treating various mildews and fungi. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 2½ tablespoons of vegetable oil and a gallon of water. Shake it up and add ½ teaspoon of vegetable-based soap, and spray. The mix may separate so give it a good shake every so often. Repeat once a week if necessary. Neem oil is also a natural remedy for fungus.

Submit your gardening questions to Diarmuid via his Instagram @diarmuidgavin using the hashtag #weekendgarden