I woke up early this morning, thinking to get some paper work done before getting out to use all the light the day can muster. Of course I forgot the weather. It’s raining hard and the forecast suggests that it could continue through to the end of Christmas Eve. I did know this but had […]
In September I was asked to visit a very beautiful garden near St Albans to talk about a couple of jobs. Here was a gardener with great taste and some clear ambitions to create something lovely. I was flattered to be asked to make a contribution; flattered and a little nervous. A large square sand pit needed a […]
Sometimes I wonder what we’re doing and probably why too. In a fit of enthusiasm, late in the summer, I agreed to supply willow “once the leaves have dropped, in late November”. You would have thought that after nearly ten years growing willow, I would know when leaves fall off the stuff. But of course […]
I’m talking to Biddenham Gardeners’ Association on Tuesday evening and thought I should have something willowy to take with me so I’ve been out cutting a bit of willow and used it to finish a couple of balls I started a while ago. It’s too early for this really – I’ve spent quite a while pulling leaves […]
I delivered some beef to a customer a couple of days ago, for whom I did some work earlier in the year. It was lovely to see her again and great to see the willow fence we built and to hear how pleased she is with it. As predicted when we discussed the project in July 2011, […]
Monday evening saw Hexton WI step over the border into Bedfordshire and venture as far as Gravenhurst. We were delighted to welcome to the farm, a dozen wonderful women who were interested, funny, challenging and generous with their enthusiasm for what we are doing. We started out with a bit of a chat and a lot of […]
Yesterday, Martin Hazell proved that he is actually an excellent basket maker and an equally splendid teacher, rather than just a crazy melodian playing gad-about. Taking part in a day’s tuition in making what is one of the simplest styles of basket, proved to me that like many crafts, it looks pretty easy but is in fact very […]
Saturday 16 June 2012, 9.30-4.30pm We are very pleased to announce that our good friend and ace basket maker, Martin Hazell, has agreed to lead a day’s tutoring at our farm in Upper Gravenhurst. If you have a hankering to dip a toe into the wonderful world of basket making this is an ideal opportunity. […]
Sometimes things go wrong and when I’m working on my own it’s doubly difficult to cope with. After nearly three hours making a huge willow ball recently, it just didn’t feel right and whatever I did seemed to make things worse rather than better. In the end it burst open like a horrible balloon accident, creating something that looked […]
