Willow wall
You’ll need
- Scissors
- Rope
- Gardening string
- Compost
- A gardening fork
- Gardening gloves
- Spiral guards
- Temporary fence
- Willow whips (stems): Salix alba var. vitellina (golden willow), S. daphnoides, S. alba var. vitellina ‘Britzensis,’ S. viminalis and S. purpurea all work well for living fences and structures
Explore and locate
Need a new fence at the meeting place? Why not consider one made of Willow that not only helps the environment, but can be an ongoing project for everyone in the group for years to come.
- In an earlier session sit down and have a chat with everyone to discuss the reasons for building a living fence, who can help build it and the importance of sustainability. Everyone should come up with suggestions for where the fence might be beneficial around the meeting place. Tell everyone to come to the fence-building session wearing old clothes they don’t mind getting dirty.
- Check your site for your fence, to see that it has the right kind/quality of soil, gets plenty of sunlight and isn’t too close to any buildings. Have a look at the RHS website for more information about suitable locations.
- If it’s not possible to build a fence at your meeting place, see if you can carry out the activity somewhere else locally. Head over to Help others to find more information on running a community project.
Decide and gather
- When you’re happy with your site, decide what size willow whips you’ll need. This will determine how big the fence is. Bear in mind that your fence will grow (it’s alive!) so it’ll need space to expand into. When you know this, you can choose a design for your fence. The RHS website, Insteading and Garden life are worth checking out for design tips. You might like a traditional weave, or prefer something more unique.
- Note down and source all of the equipment for this project. Garden centres and other local businesses may be able to help you find what you’re looking for at a discounted price.
Gardening tools at the ready
- Clear the area where the fence is going to be and mark out the line of the fence with rope.
- Use gardening forks to make holes along the line of the fence. These need to be wider than your willow whips.
- Place your willows whips in their holes and fill in the space around the whip with soil and compost. Pat this down around the whip to secure it in place.
- Secure the loose ends of any stems together at the base and top of your sturdy poles. Use small bits of willows or gardening string. Fixing the fence in position is important to allow the structure to keep its shape as it grows, to create a fuller fence in the future.
- Place short spiral guards and a temporary fence around the willows as they grow to protect the bases of the whips. You should leave the willow whips to grow for a few months with this protection.
- Everyone should help tidy up, collect equipment and then wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Maintenance
- As it grows, be sure to tend to your willow fence by pruning sprouts on the bottom half of the fence. This will encourage the plant to fill in the gaps in the fence and promote new growth.
- If you’d like to make a more intricate design, wind more branches into the weaves. Leave these so that they always point upwards at their ends.
- Willow is often affected by aphids in late summer. Here’s some advice on protecting your fence from aphids from How I Get Rid Of.
Reflection
Everyone got to make something new for the meeting place or in the local community. The willow fence not only helps the environment, but can be an ongoing project for everyone in the group for years to come. How did everyone work together to bring this fence to life? What will the fence provide for your group, the community and local wildlife? It’s a useful screen for security and privacy, while providing a habitat for minibeasts and other plants.
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Poles and long objects
Be careful when moving poles or long items. Take care if the ends are sharp. Have appropriate supervision for this activity.
- Gardening and nature
Everyone must wash their hands after the activity has finished. Wear gloves if needed. Explain how to safely use equipment and set clear boundaries so everyone knows what’s allowed.
- Heavy and awkward objects
Never lift or move heavy or awkward items alone. Ask for help or, if possible, break them down into smaller parts.
- Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.
- Sharp objects
Teach young people how to use sharp objects safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
More complex structures can also be built from willow whips. Challenge the group to make a different pattern to the traditional weave to see how it stands up. Tying off the ends of willow whips could also be done with a larger or smaller variety of suitable knots.
- Make sure the location of the fence and all of the equipment is accessible and useful for everyone taking part.
- Gloves should be available to those who have sensitive skin or who would prefer to wear them.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Think about constructing a wigwam or dome from willow whips to store your firewood. Work out which willow building technique would be best for this.
Also think about re-using the trimmed sprouts and branches to weave some baskets or ornaments which can count towards the Scout Craft Activity Badge.
Everyone was able to input on the design, location and planting of the living willow fence and had the opportunity to maintain it.