Willow weaving in the Garden
Willow weaving is one of the world’s most ancient crafts and we’re delighted to be offering a series of workshops from June through to October. There are a a variety of things that can be woven from willow, whether that’s garden ornaments, baskets, hedges or plant supports.
We’ve partnered with Janice Burley, from Down 2 Earth to run these courses. Janice is a garden designer and willow weaver. With twenty years of gardening experience and more recently, willow weaving, Janice likes to share her knowledge and skills to encourage other people to get creative with their environment.
June
June saw the launch of willow-weaving workshops as part of the first of our series of Community Days. In these 20-minute, free-of-charge sessions, workshop attendees learnt the basics of willow weaving. With the choice of weaving a heart, a fish or a flower, all attendees got to take their new garden ornament home, along with a sense of achievement on accomplishing a new skill. Feedback on this workshop has been very positive, and we were delighted to see many people strutting past the garden kiosk with the proud outcome of a morning well spent.
July
Birds are an excellent pesticide-free way to help reduce or manage veg-and-flower munching insects. Encourage birds to your garden by joining us at our July workshop where you’ll learn to weave a bird feeder out of willow. The RSPB will also be on hand all-day to give advice as to the protection of the birds. There are two workshops available, both last 2.5hrs, cost £20 and include all-day entry to the garden. Friday, 14th July.
Book a workshop and learn to weave a bird feeder
October
Or, slightly more complicated than the two workshops listed above, create a plant support and learn to weave an obelisk. Using a former to create the shape, you’ll weave your way up, creating spirals – until you end up up with a plant support perfect for sweet peas, beans or other annual climbers. There are two workshops available, last approx. 2.5hrs, cost £50 and include all-day entry to the garden. Saturday, 14th October.
Book a workshop and learn to weave a obelisk
For more information about Events at the Garden, please see our What’s On page.
Helmsley Town Council have kindly offered a grant to Helmsley Walled Garden to subsidise these workshops.
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