Willow “Jekyll” Trug

Description from The New Craftsmen

‘Jekyll Trug’ by basket-maker Hilary Burns. An intricately detailed trug basket woven from willow grown on Hilary’s Devonshire willow bed.

The Jekyll Trug is a contemporary interpretation of the ‘Munstead’ basket, designed by Gertrude Jekyll, an influential British horticulturist and artist from the 19th century. The original ‘Munstead’ basket was named after Gertrude’s Home in Godalming, Surrey, known for its extensive gardens. The basket has been designed to hold flowers, being especially suited to those with long stems, but it can also be used as a decorative piece.

Hilary Burns is a basket maker based in Devon. Having originally trained in textiles, Hilary became interested in using natural and sustainable materials – namely willow – and currently grows a collection of many different varieties on the Dartington estate, Devon. Between November and March Hilary harvests the crops, drying the rods and re-soaking for weaving as required throughout the year.

Her basketwork is based on traditional techniques used in a contemporary way using heavy willow to give her pieces a robust, chunky and natural looking style.

Dimensions :

• Width: 30cm / 11.81 inches
• Length: 75m
• Height: 32cm / 12.60 inches

Material : Willow wood