Design Sleuth: Willow Accessories for the Cottage Garden - Gardenista
Photography by Kendra Wilson, for Gardenista. Hang the garden makeover; anyone who favors natural, twiggy plant supports can have an authentic English cottage garden. These days, the cottage style is the one that makes sense, ecologically and economically. A Tri-Fold Screen made of woven vines can stand on its own or lean against a wall; it’s $198 from Terrain. A rustic, homemade alcove for climbers. Runner bean poles made from hazel. If you don’t have your own hazel, a Braided Vines Obelisk can provide similar support. Clever people like author and seed supplier Sarah Raven (in whose garden these photos were taken) grow their own hazel and willow to ensure a regular supply. Willow can be bought by the bundle from Musgrove Willows, Somerset. A wigwam for sweet peas does not need to be willow or hazel; alder or birch will do. A surround for thalictrum. (The end of winter is the best time to be doing this.) Hazel verticals and horizontals are screwed together to make an arbour. Making your own supports means that you can tailor them to the size and shape you require. Try a willow weaving workshop to unearth hidden talents. The next best thing is to pay for a slightly eccentric obelisk like this one, having been homemade by someone else. Simple weaving skills could lead to more complex knots.