Back in March, I took the exciting step of planting my very first willow bed – a collection of 22 different varieties sourced from four specialist basket-making willow growers. It was the beginning of an adventure I called The Art and Joy of Growing Willow: A Beginner’s Adventure.
Since then, it has been a journey filled with sunshine, rain, lessons learned, and plenty of anticipation.
Following on from my first reflections in The Art and Joy of Growing Willow: A Beginner’s Adventure, this next post continues my journey into the joys and challenges of nurturing a young willow bed. The first season has been full of lessons, insights, and those wonderful moments of discovery that only come when working closely with nature.
One of the first lessons from the planting stage was the importance of positioning. Taller willow varieties need to be placed towards the rear edges of the bed to prevent them from shading smaller saplings. This simple step makes a significant difference in ensuring all varieties receive the sunlight they need throughout the day.
Another valuable lesson was in how I recorded and numbered the cuttings. What initially felt like a small detail quickly became critical once last-minute changes were made to the planting layout. I had carefully numbered each cutting, only to find I needed to rearrange them out of sequence to suit their expected growth heights. This meant re-numbering everything after planting and creating new laminated labels so the rain wouldn’t wash the writing away. I fixed these onto wooden stakes with strong tape, which later had to be replaced with staples when the tape gave way! All of this was a surprisingly fiddly job, but one that taught me the importance of planning a robust labelling system from the start.
I also noticed some interesting differences in the quality of cuttings from different suppliers. This season, I bought from several sources, and it was fascinating to compare both their success rates and overall vigour. Out of hundreds of cuttings, only a handful failed to establish — a reassuring sign for future seasons. Surprisingly, the variety I expected to thrive, Black Maul — often the go-to choice for large-scale UK growers — did not perform as well as I had hoped. A reminder that even the most reliable varieties can bring unexpected results!
While this new bed represents a fresh start and an opportunity to focus on growing quality basket-making willow, it is supported by the success we’ve already seen at the Birtley Estate, where each year we coppice and pollard willow for our workshops. The growth there has been consistent and generous, with rods of up to 14ft in height harvested each season, forming the backbone of our plant support workshops.
In my first post, I explained the difference between coppicing (cutting back to ground level) and pollarding (cutting at shoulder height or above). This year, we planted a small number of 3ft cuttings in the new bed with a view to pollarding them in the future. Most growers supply shorter cuttings, which made up the majority of those we planted, but I was fortunate to work with people like Sue Kirk and Kirt Kirk, who kindly offered to cut to my requirements. In the future, when we generate our own cuttings, we’ll have the freedom to determine lengths to suit both coppicing and pollarding, and I’d like to dedicate one large bed purely for pollarding — a system that’s easier on the back, keeps growth above weed level, and gives a clear line of sight across the bed.
I also planted another Harlequin tree at Birtley this spring, adding to those already thriving onsite. Alongside it, I trialled a willow fedge (fence/hedge). The hot summer and lack of irrigation made the fedge struggle, but with rain later in the season, it’s improved. This winter, I’ll reinforce it by planting a parallel fedge to fill gaps where cuttings didn’t take. Meanwhile, the Harlequin tree has flourished — another sign of the resilience willow offers when given the right start.
As the first season draws on, I’ve taken time to observe each row. Here’s a snapshot of some of the varieties and how they’re establishing:
Dark Dicks (Salix purpurea) – upright and strong.
Green Dicks (S. purpurea) – vigorous and reaching up to 7ft.
Brittany Blue (S. purpurea x daphnoides) – straight and healthy.
Dicky Meadows (S. purpurea) – upright, even growth.
Brittany Green (S. purpurea) – Only three cuttings have taken, floppy and low-level.
Black Maul (S. triandra) – Mixed growth: some strong, some thin, averaging around 4ft, spreading at the base rather than upright.
Noir de Villeneuve (S. triandra) – A standout variety with dark green, thick stems and strong growth. Produces many side shoots, which will need trimming.
Harrison’s Green – Vibrant and vigorous, with shoots up to 8ft.
Chermesina Yelverton – Striking orangey-red stems, low growth but with three strong uprights. Around five or six plants have successfully taken root.
Packing Twine (S. purpurea) – A tricky start. Around five cuttings per bed have taken (we planted 9 per bed), but most are low and splaying at the base. Only a few stems are growing upright, reaching between 2–5 ft. Shading from neighbouring varieties may be holding them back.
Juane Hative (S. alba ‘Fragilis’) – A real success story! All cuttings have established strongly, producing thick, vigorous stems ranging from 5–8 ft. Perfect material for larger basketry projects, with multiple strong shoots from each base.
Black Maul (S. triandra) – Mixed performance. One section has struggled with weak growth and poor survival, while another has flourished, with healthy, upright stems. A reminder that even the most “reliable” willow can surprise.
William Rogers (S. purpurea and S. calliantha) – Looking promising. Both blocks have grown well, with stems averaging 5–6 ft. Some splaying at the base, but the plants are beginning to support each other, showing strong potential for future coppicing.
Jaune de Falaise – Modest growth, only around 1 ft tall, with multiple small shoots along the stem. Attractive foliage, but overall underdeveloped compared to other varieties.
Pheasant Brown (S. triandra x viminalis) – Distinctive with its yellow-green colouring. Heights range from 3–5 ft, though some bug activity was noticed in the leaves — the first signs of pests in the willow bed, they look like Red Gall Sawfly larvae (see photo below).
Goldstones – True to its name, a green-yellow tone, leaning more green than yellow at this time. Healthy overall, with consistent growth between 3–4 ft and good establishment across the bed.
Dicky Meadows
A standout performer. Both planting blocks have produced strong, upright rods, averaging 3–4 stems on each cutting planted. Straight, vigorous, and one of the most reliable specimens so far.
Bori Pascara (Amplexicaulis) – Strikingly attractive with purplish-red foliage and rods ranging mostly 3–4 ft, though one stem has reached 6–7 ft. Some side-shooting at the base, but visually impressive and distinctive.
Norbury (Salix purpurea) – Both blocks remain low-growing, around 1 ft tall, with fine leaves showing a brownish-purple tone. Very limited growth this season compared to others.
These observations highlight the individuality of each variety — from the height and vigour of Green Dicks to the vibrant colour of Chermesina Yelverton. Each is teaching me about management, shaping techniques, and potential uses in weaving.
The coming months will be a time of observation. I’ll be noting which varieties thrive, which need a little extra support, and which prove particularly useful for basketry. This knowledge will not only guide future planting but also feed into the creative projects that are the heart of this journey.
This project is not just about growing willow; it’s part of a bigger picture. In line with our Sustainability Objectives, the willow bed represents:
Supporting biodiversity: The living willow fedge creates habitat and shelter for wildlife.
Circular use of resources: Ground preparation involved layering alpaca wool, cardboard, and bark chippings – natural, local, and biodegradable materials.
Reducing carbon footprint: By growing my own basket willow, I’m reducing reliance on large-scale growers and transport from further afield.
Passing on knowledge: Each lesson learned here will be shared through future workshops and experiences, encouraging others to connect with craft, land, and sustainability.
This is only the beginning. As the willow establishes, I look forward to weaving not only with rods but with the stories, experiences, and values that come from cultivating something so rooted in tradition, creativity, and care for the environment.
🌿 This post is part of my series: The Art and Joy of Growing Willow – a journey from planting to weaving, from roots in the soil to creations in the workshop. Follow along as I share the lessons, creativity, and sustainability at the heart of this adventure. 🌿