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Willow resources
New Growth  
2011 / 12 HARVEST IS NOW UNDERWAY
Willow sales have now restarted after the Christmas shutdown



Live willow rods and cuttings available while stocks last (November - early May)

Please note, we do not have the facilities to dry and store willow, so at present we only deal with fresh cut stems. (We are
hoping to have facilities to supply dried willow at the end of the 2011/12 season)

We can arrange delivery of willow within Ayrshire or possibly surrounding counties if required
Collection is always possible and can be arranged from our office or at the crop.

Please contact us if you require courier delivery, many couriers will not take very large length bundles, though we have used
couriers for bundles of 4' - 5' rods.

For more information or to discuss individual requirements please contact us.

E-MAIL WILLOW ENQUIRY

 


Willow is a flexible fast growing material which is perfectly suited to the weaving
properties required in making baskets, woven fences and screens and garden features
such as domes, archways and living seats.

East Ayrshire Woodlands manage a willow crop to provide materials for site planting
and craftwork, which is harvested between late November and mid March.

Our Crop

We offer a range of species suitable for planting, weaving and basketmaking.
The crop can be visited by arrangement.

Our willow crop presently consists of the following species;

(SIZE A) Salix purpurea

"Dickie Meadows" (Basketweaving)

(SIZE A) Salix purpurea

"Welsh Dicks" (Basketweaving)

(SIZE A) Salix purpurea / fragilis

"Flanders Red" (Living willow sculptures & basketweavng)
(SIZE B) Salix viminalis "Bowles Hybrid" (Heavy weaving & Garden Structures)
(SIZE B) Salix viminalis "Mullatin" (Large structures & woven hurdles)
(SIZE B) Salix purpurea "Goldstones" (Large structures)

From 2011 / 12 we are to trial a new 8' long steambox for potentially producing steamed willow stems for use in basketmaking as
well as for steaming and bending certain wood such as ash.
Images, other details and how successful this is will appear on this web page!

Steambox interior  Steambox exterior

We would hope to be able to offer small quantities of steamed basketmaking willow to order in the future. We are also hoping to
have facilities to offer dried basketmaking willow bundles through the summer months for 2012.

Living Willow Cuttings

    

10" long willow cuttings are available while stocks last in all of the varieties listed on this page
Cutting orders are not inclusive of VAT

Size 'A' 10" long live cuttings
Per cutting 35p
Bundle of 25 £6 (24p each)
Bundle of 100 £20 (20p each)
Bundle of 200 £34 (17p each)
Size 'B' 10" long live cuttings
Per cutting 45p
Bundle of 25 £10 (40p each)
Bundle of 100 £30 (30p each)
Bundle of 200 £55 (27p each)

For guidance, P&P on large 15kg box of approximately

1000 mixed stems would be around £25 - £30 express.

For more information or to discuss individual requirements please contact us.

Live Willow Rods

* Please note our revised price list for 2011/12 season * prices are not including VAT

  
Live willow rods are also available while stocks last in all of the varieties listed on this page

Please note, living rods are priced by 'one cut' therefore, the long tapered tip will still be on each stem, Please contact us
if you require stems cut to length at either end (as shown in the middle picture above) as this would be for an additional charge
per order.

SIZE A Species

Length of rod Price per rod (single)

Price per
25 rods

Price per
100 rods
Price per
200 rods
4'  25p                 £7 (28p)   £24 (24p per stem)  £40 (20p per stem)  
5' 28p                 £8.25 (33p) £28 (28p per stem) £45 (22.5p per stem)
6'           34p £9.50 (38p)  £32 (32p per stem) £54 (27p per stem)
7' 38p £10.20 (41p) £34 (34p per stem) £57 (28.5p per stem)
8' + 45p £11.50 (46p)  £38 (38p per stem) £63 (31.5p per stem)

SIZE B Species

Length of rod Price per rod (single)

Price per
25 rods

Price per
100 rods
Price per
200 rods
4' 55p £12 (48p) £45 (45p) £85 (42.5p)
5' 65p £15 (60p) £50 (50p) £90 (45p)
6'  75p                £17.50 (70p) £55 (55p) £98 (49p)  
7' 85p                £20 (80p) £63 (63p) £115 (57p)
8'           99p £23 (92p)  £73 (73p) £130 (65p)
9' £1.15 £28 (112p) £88 (88p) £150 (75p)
10' £1.30 £31 (124p)  £96 (96p)

£185 (92p)


Largest SIZE B Species - Limited stocks

11' £1.42 £35 (140p) £103 (103p)

£200 (100p)

12' + £1.80 £42 (168p)  £140 (140p)

£250 (125p)

* Please note, at present we can only post live rods up to 4" length. Other sizes are available for collection or local delivery*

Florists supplies

We have a range of willow based products which may be of interest to florists and floral craftworkers

Decorative willow stems, bunches and bundles

In the Spring we have stems / bunches of willow with nice catkins and some new growth, perfect for
use in displays or as standalone features. These look particularly attractive with small LED lights around them.
Similarly, mixed bunches of different coloured willow can provide an attractive decoration over the Winter
months and for the Christmas period.

Price per bundle, average bundle - 20 stems

3' £5 4' £6.50 5' £8 6' £9.50

7' £11

Woven hoops, table centres and wreath bases

We also produce woven willow hoops, up to 20" diameter for use as a natural wreath base or table centre, the
advantages over non natural products being that, once some can last for a second year's use and if not, can be
broken up and used for kindling rather than being sent to landfill!

    

Price per woven hoop, other sizes on request

6" diameter - £2.50 8" diameter - £4 10" diameter - £5 12" diameter - £6.50

14" diameter - £8

Woven natural & sprayed willow trees

For the festive period, we produce small woven willow Christmas trees, gold, silver or natural or one of each,
Trees & wreath bases are available in October, November & December.

Woven Willow Trees 

Supplied ready to hang

3 natural trees - £2.50 3 sprayed trees, single colour - £3.50 3 sprayed trees, mixed colours - £4.50

Woven willow and hazel hurdles, living willow fencing & erosion control.

We plan to offer a range of woven willow hurdles, with hazel uprights into 2012, very rustic and perfect for
a decorative screen around the garden. We can also supply and install living woven fences, screens or fedges
(basically the mix between a fence and a hedge!) which we would weave live stems around sturdy hazel uprights.

Prices for living hurdles depend upon the length and willow required and the distance. Please enquire for further details.

Similarly, we are happy to discuss opportunities for areas of willow spiling, a traditional technique to help
stabilize bankings where erosion has been a problem. This is soft engineering at its best, with no concrete, metal
or other man made or potentialy polluting products involved, just natural willow (and possibly hazel).

Woven Willow Hurdles   

Miniature willow structures and domes

Garden too small for a full size willow dome? we can make you a miniature dome or feature in a plant pot,
just treat it the same way you would with a larger dome, keep it well watered, weed free and cared for,
watch it grow, weave the new growth in towards the end of the season before leaving a striking winter
feature before the new growth starts once again. A different and unusual present!

Miniature Willow Dome  

Prices start from £20 (as for example above)

Living Willow Structures

We are happy to provide advice or install living willow structures for schools and community
groups, normally in the form of arbours, tunnels, domes, archways and fences. Design plans
are also available and more will be on the website as a downloadable resource.

As a guide, a rough figure for design, supply and installation for structures is as follows;

Standard dome / willow fort facade £300 - £400
More elaborate domes / facades with outer tunnels and features £400 - £1000
Willow tunnel, approx 10'-12' long £200 - £300
Willow arbours / basic wigwams £150 - £250
Living willow hurdling / screens £30 per metre
Chairs / entrance archways £50 - £100

**These are only as a guide, price is dependant on complexity, design & amount of willow**

Examples of our recent work

Willow 'fort' & dome
Craig Park School, Ayr
Winter 2010/11

 

willow fort  willow fort  All abilities access dome  Dome with first season growth

Fort with first season growth  Fort with first season growth  Willow dome establishes

Willow 'fort'
Ochiltree Nursery
Winter 2010/11
Ochiltree Primary Willow Folly  Ochiltree Primary Willow Folly  Ochiltree Primary Willow Folly
Logan Nursery
Willow Wind Dome
December 2011

Starting in the snow  Main structure done  Finished entrance  Finished dome

Auchinleck Nursery
Dome and fencing
Auchinleck Nursery  Auchinleck Nursery  
Witchill School
Numerous willow
pergolas, domes &
tunnels
New Tunnel Dome, Witchill School  New entrance dome  New season growth
Flowerbank Nursery
Archways & tunnel
Flowerbank nursery    
Grange Academy
Willow Moongate
Willow 'Moongate' under construction  Final moongate before adding the sides  Moongate growth
Hillbank Nursery
Dome & fencing
Igloo Dome, Under Construction, Hillbank Nursery  Hillbank Nursery Igloo Willow Dome  Hillbank Nursery Willow Circle  
Loudoun Montgomery
Gothic Dome & 'Eggloo'

Original dome  Original dome complete  New eggloo dome  and entrance steps

3 Entrance dome

3 entrance dome  3 entrance dome  

Willow chairs,
Hurdles & archways
Living Willow Chair  Living Willow Chair  Fence, Bellsbank  Entrance Archway, Hurlford Day Centre
Wallacetown Nursery
Willow Structure
Maintenance
Before tidying - Not our original structure  After weaving in  After weaving in
Older structures

Wigwam Dome, St. Xavier's Primary  Small Dome, St. Xavier's Primary  Crossroads Primary, Crown Dome  New tunnel dome, Hillside School

Willow Arbour  Willow Arch  New season growth  Bellsbank Family Centre Willow Fence

Willow structure designs & proposals

When we are asked about creating willow structures in school grounds, community areas or private gardens, we will usually ask
for initial photographs of the site and then we will arrange to come in for a visit, discuss the options, take photographs and create
mock ups on the photographs to try and give a feel how a structure might look.

      

    

Willow Structure Kits (available while stocks last - only available in local area or to collect)

Crown Dome

 

 

A more elaborate kit using multiple stems twisted together for added strength
and a more pleasing effect

Consists of;

50, mixed 9'+ rods for outer arches and doorway
20, mixed 10'+ rods for uprights
20, mixed 5'+ rods for creating windows Re-usable cable ties for temporary fixing

£90, with detailed instructions (Inc VAT)

Willow Tunnel

A simple kit, to construct a tunnel up to 8'-10' length, depending
on the gaps between the archways

Consists of;

30, mixed 9'+ rods for archways
14, mixed 9'+ rods for angled uprights
20, mixed 9'+ rods for horizontal Strengtheners (or to add to doors)
Re-usable cable ties for temporary fixing

£75, with detailed instructions (Inc VAT)

Create a Willow Tunnel (pdf)

Willow Arbour

A simple kit, to construct an arbour around a temporary or permanent small seating area

Consists of;

36, mixed 9'+ rods for Front archway & uprights
50, mixed 7'+ rods for horizontal / rear strengtheners & lashings
Re-usable cable ties for temporary fixing

£60, with detailed instructions (Inc VAT)

Create a willow arbour (pdf)

Willow Entrance Archway

A simple archway kit, to construct a robust entrance archway for a path or other area

Consists of;

20, mixed 10'+ rods
20, Flanders Red 6'+ rods for weaving round uprights
Re-usable cable ties for temporary fixing

£35, with detailed instructions (Inc VAT)

Care for your willow structure (pdf)

Other Crafts & Products

Artist's Charcoal

Finished charcoal

 

Recently, much of the old willow at sorn has been collected, bundled and cut in to short lengths then fired for a couple of hours to produce artist's charcoal for use in drawing and sketching.
This traditional method produces a high standard of charcoal which is excellent for artwork and smudges well.
Packets of charcoal will be on sale at forthcoming events in Ayrshire where FEI are represented.
Future plans include charcoal burning on a larger scale. Visit our charcoal burning page for more information.

Small packets of 6-7 thin stems are available for £1.50 per packet, together with thicker, larger diameter charcoal for larger scale work.

Willow Torches

Woven willow torches, either approx 4' height (£10) or 2' height (£6) complete with glass jar and tealight candle, or use your own jar. If pushed in the ground at the right time of year it may also become a living willow torch!

Contact us for further information.