living willow childrens shelter

[horseymum]

does anyone have one of these? my mum's school have just 'planted' one and i am quite excited about it as we wanted to get a playhouse for kids but they are over £300. This willow shelter would easily be less than £50 but i wondered how long they take to get covered and if they deteriorate with time.

My mum has made a small one of these at her house for when the grandchildren come to visit. They loved helping her make it, kept them busy for hours.

It's only been up a week so I can't tell you how long it will last yet!

http://www.livingshadeinsefton.co.uk/careofwillow.htm care of willow structures after planting

good general willow structures site with instructions, care etc

In short, they don't take long to get covered at all and they don't need a lot of aftercare.

try again

care of willow structures after planting

good general willow structures site with instructions, care etc

In short, they don't take long to get covered at all and they don't need a lot of aftercare

These look lovely. They have sold out on the web site though. Anyone have any other good sites for buying the willow?

We built one in a long weekend with help from various family members, maybe 5-6 yrs ago, used a really good book to help us.

It is at MIL's house (3 acres of garden/orchard/paddock) and she has pollarded willows (stumps which grow strange straight branches) which are cut every 2 yrs.

We stored them in a water tank for a while (months) to keep them alive and made an igloo shape. It is quite large and tall enough for the 6+ footers to stand in the middle.

All the children joined in it was great fun, but quite hard work.

But my MIL is now stressy about how shaggy it is, as I haven't cut it only woven the growing bits in. (Makes me laugh as you should see how messy natural her gerden is!)

I'll get my DH to take some pics at the weekend and post them on here.

Mung they have sold out as now is not the time of year to be doing willow planting really. You need to start in winter as that gives the willow the best chamce to root.

Thanks BigBadMouse...I am going to order some...Christmas present maybe

Depends where you are in the country. Down south the planting season ends in March, up north you may get away with it till end april. Find a local willow supplier and ask them for advise on the planting season in yoour area.

I did one in County durham in April the other year, took a year to get VERY bushy but useable during the first year. Mainly I'm in Devon, this spring i did a tunnel about a month ago, its sprouted leaves already. A caterpillar tunnel I did 3 years ago is SO bushy its doesn't look like a caterpilar any more.