Weaving at Willows Nursery

Due to poor health, we have reluctantly decided to retire and close the nursery after running it for nearly 30 years.

Thank you for your interest if you have just found us and thank you to our previous customers if you are returning – sorry that we cannot help you.

Willow whips for weaving, crafts, plant supports and more

Our living willow season is over, but we have willow whips available for ‘dead’ willow weaving projects – such as garden edging/fencing, plant supports, bird feeders and many more craft projects !

This willow was cut this winter and most is still flexible and doesn’t need soaking before use - at the moment - but it will start to become too dry to use in a few weeks and will need soaking before using.

Collection will need to be by arrangement from Willows Nursery (South of Kettering – 200 m from the A43 roundabout on the road towards Mawsley).

We have ‘short’ bundles of 100+ whips of mixed lengths, approximately 2’6″ to 3’6″ (75 cm to 105 cm) of Salix Purpurea Lambertiana Salix Purpurea Abbeys at £18 each that can be sent by EVRi or collected - these are now drying out, but soaking bags are provided.

Bundles of longer whips are only available for collection – minimum order 50 whips :

We have bundles of mixed 4 to 6 ft (1.2 to 1.8 m) lengths of different varieties of willow (of around 200 whips) which cost £40.00 each (we can supply ¼ bundles if preferred at £10 each).

We also have bundles of 6 ft to 7 ft (1.8 to 2.1 m) long whips and 7 to 8 ft (2.1 to 2.4 m) whips of Salix Purpurea Lambertiana and Salix Purpurea Abbeys (that’s the one with the redder stem and it is narrower/finer).

The prices for those are :
50 x 6 to 7 ft for £15
50 x 7 to 8 ft for £17.50

We also have a few longer whips and can supply thicker trimmed willow ‘stakes’.

Please message me if you are interested.

You can see more information on our website - https://willowsnursery.co.uk/living-willow/dead-willow-weaving/

(The photographs show the type of willow available and also give some ideas for possible projects.)

Whilst willow grows in a surprising range of colours, if you are weaving with it you may be more interested in the dried colours - which can be quite different to the growing/fresh cut colours.

We only offer Salix Viminalis 'Bowles' Hybrid, Salix Purpurea 'Lambertiana' and Salix Purpurea 'Abbeys as 'weaving' bundles - we just don't grow other varieties in large enough quantities - and here are photographs of them in their dried states.

As I was checking some of our willow beds this morning for brambles, deer browsing damage etc, and it struck me how often we are so used to things that we don't really SEE them.

I realised how striking our dark stems of Salix Triandra 'Norfolk' are now that the leaves are falling !

The second photograph shows the colour contrast with another weaving variety Salix Purpurea 'Abbeys'.

A note for weavers - unfortunately (like most - if not all - willow varieties) they don't retain those colours as they dry.

(I'm afraid that the photographs aren't sharp enough to do the willow full justice).

Living Willow Harlequin and Plaited Trees For Sale

This text didn't post with the video below -

These willow trees were all planted using fresh cut willow from our Nursery this winter and are now rooted and showing good growth.

24 whip Harlequins at £50 each. Approx 80 to 100 cm (from top of pot to top of original willow – plus new top growth of about 30 cm in addition).

Taller 24 whip Harlequin – only the one on the right (not the yellow one) - £60. Approx 130 cm (from top of pot to top of original willow – plus new top growth of about 30 cm in addition.

Thinner 16 whip (8 pairs) Harlequins – approx. 90 cm high in total (from top of pot to top of new growth) £30 each.

Living willow 9 whip ‘triple plait’ and 7 whip plaits - approx. 110 cm high in total (from top of pot to top of new growth) £17 each

They are available for collection only - by appointment.

Our living willow season is now over, but we have willow whips available for ‘dead’ willow weaving projects – such as garden edging/fencing, plant supports, bird feeders and much more !

Whilst the willow is starting to dry, it is, generally, fairly flexible still – depending on the project – but may soon need soaking before it is pliable enough to use. If necessary, soaking instructions and a soaking tube can be provided.

Collection only (by arrangement) – we’re here most of the time, but the gate is shut if we’re not expecting anyone.

We have bundles of mixed 4 to 6 ft lengths of willow (of around 200 whips) which cost £40.00 each (we can supply ¼ or ½ bundles if preferred).

We also have 6 ft and 7 ft long whips - the 6 ft, for example, will be a minimum of 6 ft up towards 7 ft long.

The prices for those are :
100 x 6 ft for £35, or 200 for £60
100 x 7 ft for £40, or 200 for £69

We also have some longer whips and can supply thicker trimmed willow ‘stakes’.

Please get in touch if you are interested or have any questions.

You can see more information on our website - https://willowsnursery.co.uk/living-willow/dead-willow-weaving/

(The photographs show the type of willow available and give some ideas for possible uses.)

Kim in Devon has kindly sent us a photograph of the Braided Harlequin Willow Tree she has just made from one of our kits – beautifully made and looking great in its new setting.

I made these Harlequin willow trees this winter, to check out using different varieties for the future for the kits we sell and just to double check my kit instructions – as my husband says, I do like to dot I’s and cross t’s.

But it has been pointed out that I should sell some - rather than just gather more year on year 😊, so –

These 10 Harlequin braided willow trees were planted using fresh cut willow from our Nursery this winter and are now rooted and showing good growth.

They are made with either 24 whips planted in pairs or 36 whips planted as triples (if that’s the appropriate term 😊).

As you can see, a variety of willow varieties have been used and they are (roughly) 2 heights as planted – 80 cm and 1.2 m plus from the ground - with top growth now in addition.

For the 24 whip Harlequins, they are £40 for the shorter trees and £50 for the taller ones.

For the 36 whip Harlequins, they are £52 for the shorter trees and £62 for the taller ones.

They are available for collection only - by arrangement - from Willows Nursery NN6 9QA (South of Kettering - 200m from the A43 roundabout on the road towards Mawsley) – please consider the height needed in your vehicle !

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Long willow whips for sale - collection only
Whilst our living willow season is over, we have willow whips up to 11 ft long available for ‘dead’ willow projects – such as fencing, garden edging and plant supports.
Whilst the willow is starting to dry, it is, generally, fairly flexible still – depending on the project – but may soon need soaking before it is pliable enough to use. If necessary, soaking instructions and a soaking tube can be provided.
If you would like to buy, we can send you an invoice to pay online or you can pay by cash or card when you collect.
Collection will need to be by arrangement from Willows Nursery (South of Kettering - 200m from the A43 roundabout on the road towards Mawsley). The postcode is NN6 9QA.
We have bundles of around 200 whips of shorter willow (up to 6 ft long) – plus longer than that, that we charge per whip at ½ our ‘living’ prices :
Bundles of mixed 4 to 6 ft lengths of ‘Dead’ Willow (around 200 whips) cost £40.00 each (we can supply ¼ or ½ bundles if preferred)
6 ft long whips cost 60p each
7 ft long whips cost 70p each
8 ft long whips cost 80p each
9 ft long whips cost 90p each
10 ft long whips cost £1 each
11 ft long whips cost £1.10 each
Please get in touch if you are interested.
You can see more information on our website - https://willowsnursery.co.uk/living.../dead-willow-weaving/
(These photographs give an idea of the willow available and also possible uses for the willow)