[Annie]

We have had several of these use to cover a gap when our garden wall fell down.Now the wall has been rebuilt and the willow is very brittle though we could use them. Does anyone know of a cheap source of willow so that we can rebuild them ourselves?I know we could grow the willow but it`s a bit invasive for our needs and I would like to do it before the bath(in thegerden)gets filled with soil.

[splodger]

as far as i'm aware - the only way to use willow well - is to use it live - stick it in the ground and let it grow - bit like a living sculpture - else it won't last too long.

if you are after proper hurdle fencing - go for chestnut - done right it will last a long time (my compost heap is made of hurdles - looks great and will last for ages)

hazel is another option for hurdles - but they don't last as long as chestnut.

as for a cheap source - if you want willow - get yourself down to a nice willow filled riverbank (best at bad light   ) and take some cuttings - then plant them as cuttings - where you want to built your living sculpture.
as it grows - mould to suit.

if you are after hazel and / or chestnut - phone up your local country parks and see if they will let you clear a number of stumps in the spring.

they are often desperate to clear overgrown areas - and look for volunteers - just stipulate your terms - ie. 2 days - 30 stumps - and to take the stuff you clear.

if you need further advise on this (especially clearing stumps) - let me know and i will gladly pass on my top tips

[Annie]

What do you mean by stumps?

[WG.]

I know we could grow the willow but it`s a bit invasive for our needs

Too true - the roots wander for miles looking for water.  Not literally.

[splodger]

What do you mean by stumps?

hazel and chestnut will grow out from the stump (from the ground)- and they might sent out several dozen shoots over a couple of years.

the stumps (or stools as they are known) need clearing every two or three years - if it's to be coppiced properly.

the shoots grow into straight poles which become very useful - especially for hurdles. if the stools are not cleared then the poles will become congested, twisted and the tree will suffer long term and the usefulness of the timber reduces.

for hurdles - weaving - etc you need long, straight poles which are young enough to bend but strong enough not to break.

if you use chestnut - be aware that it splits - so never just bang a nail into it - as it will split - drill a clean hole.

i help my father in his chestnut copse - and we spend most of the winter cutting and splitting large chestnut poles - to make post and rail fencing etc.

making hurdles is quite easy though - and you only need a few hand tools.

[amc]

You can buy willow quite easily in cut bundles (called "bolts", "withies" etc,  try searching on google) but they are fairly expensive and seem to be aimed mainly for weaving. You can also buy cuttings (from 10" upto 12 ft!) for planting out or making willow sculptures. But the range of uses and varieities/colours is v. impressive. You'd need a lot of cut bundles to make a hurdle mind.

Growing your own willow is fun and easy. I've about 300 one and 2 year cuttings (five different varieites) growing at 2 allotments. The 1 year ones will be cut (coppiced) for the first  time this year, 2yr old for second time etc. Depending on variety, weather, soil type etc you get  approx 2-6 shoots per cutting in the first year, 4- 10+ in 2nd year and after that I'm hoping for loads off each stool. Some of the varieitis will produce 12 ft+ high shoots, others only a coulple of feet.

I'll be using most of my own willow this year but come November time I'll offer some 10" cuttings on the "Swap shop" on this site.

If you do plant any willow think carefully were its going to be (see WG's comments).