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Willow Pod
Willow with Roots is a mother-daughter team in Worcestershire who grow their own willow, hold weaving workshops, and sell their wares—think lamp shades, baskets, and trays—via an online shop. They also do bespoke work, like the otherworldly Willow Pod, above.
Dreaming Spires Playhouse
Judith Needham of Surrey, England, is another willow weaver who makes her own designs (including baskets), and came up with her first playhouse for her own daughter. Needham’s willow comes from growers in Somerset, England: “It’s grown specifically for basket making; the method of cultivation, rather than the variety, is what makes the material suitable for weaving. The technique is called coppicing—each plant is cut right down to the ground during harvest in the spring leaving just a stump. New growth quickly springs from the trunk. These stems are long, thin, unbranching, and very pliable. Some plants are left to grow for two or three years to yield ten-f00t-long stems, which is what I need for playhouses, but most are cut annually making it the ultimate sustainable crop.”
For twig playhouses that are left outdoors, Needham recommends applying an annual coat of linseed oil, and says with this protective finish, they should last for six to eight years. Most of her customers are in the UK, but to date, she’s also shipped playhouses to the States.
Hocus Pocus
One of his specialities is play constructions, most of which he builds on the grounds of museums, art centers, and colleges, but on occasion, Dougherty accepts private commissions. One such is Hocus Pocus, shown here, a willow structure at Bittersweet Farms in Ennice. NC. Photograph by Robyn Dreyer. Go to Stickwork to see more and learn about his process.
For more fanciful children’s play structures, see:
N.B.: This post was first published July 2017. It’s been updated with new products, photos, prices, and links.
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