Living willow structures tutorial, a how-to video on weaving with living willow.

Spring is the time to plant willow, and also to make living willow structures. I made two living willow play areas this year in Limerick. In this video I take you step by step through how I build them.
Music:
Labyrinth (Filmora)
The rose and the thorn by Johannes Bornlof (Epidemic Sound)
Chocolate Cookie Jam By An Jone
Swan by Catriona McKay on harp played by Mara Van Aelst
I am a full-time basket maker and artist living in Tipperary, Ireland with my family. Off-grid in the forest on a mountain.
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[@user-kg6nb9ew5k]

When i lived in Belgium every fall i collected, was given, nuts and shrub seeds which i planted. I propagated about 3000 plants a year. I bartered them for soil and planting bags. So the cost for me was only my time. Everyone could get them; home owners, farmers, hunters,... Now there are several patches of forests, hundreds of meters of hedges in my village that are there because one day in the fall i was bored 😊

[@jackstone4291]

You are a star. Nice one. I’d like to try and do that near me but I look after the kids and my wife has no interest in it at all. Shame. Maybe when I retire ?!

[@user-kg6nb9ew5k]

@@jackstone4291 just do it

[@Hashdollars]

@@jackstone4291you could propagate several hundred plants at a time on a small table top with just a few trays.

[@kcs1852]

​@@jackstone4291Make the kids help!

[@gabrielmessiasruiz7506]

​@@jackstone4291the best time to plant was yesterday the second best one is today. You dont need to do a lot. Just start somewhere. You can also just throw seeds in places where they could grow.

[@judygude]

Hanna; I would love to see an update on these structures. Especially showing how you maintain them. Thank you so much!

[@Nathan-wd6bx]

Yes! Update please?

[@jaredb6934]

That's what I'm thinking!

[@JB-yg3ew]

Yaaas!

[@karoshi2]

Not any structures, but (wild) willows love my soil it seems. Have seen others looking after their flimsy plants, trying to not let them die. In my garden meanwhile they grew like crazy. Stems thick as an arm in no time. Guess living willow structures here, pretty and natural as they look, might be overkill. Too bad. ☹️

[@Johny40Se7en]

They maintain themselves, and wildlife love structures like those, sometimes even nesting in them. Birds and Hedgehogs especially love them.

[@HideyHoleOrg]

I would love to see these structures now that they have been installed for a year. Can you do a follow up video on expectations and maintenance of your willow structures?

[@Murphis55]

If I had a big property I would for sure do this! I love it! Imagine sitting inside a hut made from trees like elves. Magical. Very eco friendly.

[@aliensgotme]

I have 70 acres of willow and Aspen saplings... I'm quitting my job and focusing on this now😂... Seriously tho, this looks like a pretty wonderful way to relax and be productive.

[@joseroke-rt3vt]

Es realmente maravilloso, pues no es solo la sombra, también el canto de los pájaros, el aroma de las flores, los frutos que da, en dependencia de las especies que utilizamos en la elaboración.. Saludos.

[@spider1g5]

This solves so many issues with regular fences/tresses for climbing vegetables, I need to implement this!

[@aaaaaa2206]

Willow roots compete with other platns for water. Planting edible plants near willow might not work because of this.

[@ansaolmaith43]

We've planted 800+ native irish trees over the last 5 yrs incl lots of willow , grey violet goat... my son n myself are going to try the weaving in '24 .. you're an amazing artist .. wishing u n yours health n happiness for '24❤

[@Nautilus1972]

Buala bos!

There is a lot of videos showing the weaving but I can't find any showing how the structure looks couple years later (ideally many years later) and what are the maintenance requirements. generally I would consider this technique for my garden fence but don't want to commit to it before I have a clear picture of what can I expect.

[@nayrtnartsipacify]

ive been dreaming of having my own place to do this. Ive woven together grape vines and mulberry before with similar results to create a living coop for guinea fowl on someone elses property. It worked quite well. Now ive my own place and access to as much willow and mulberry as i could want. Thank you for the inspiration. i would love to see more of your work as it advances.

[@joseroke-rt3vt]

La morera es excelente para estos proyectos, combinada con otras especies más resistentes, para que le den firmeza a la estructura. Nunca he sido del criterio de plantar una sola especie en éstas cercas, los mejores resultados se obtienen combinando varias especies . Saludos

[@SharingGardens]

Hanna, Beautifully done! You explain things very well (without too many words!) and I love the music you chose to accompany the video. It gave me peace.

[@tottycrypt9006]

This is art.

[@anniathome]

Perfection! I LOVE this idea! I am building a flower farm, and I have an area set aside for a natural play area for children. These kinds of structures will be perfect for that area! The area is in full sun, so having fun shaded tunnels for the children to explore and chase each other will be very attractive! I can even envision larger domed areas for adults to rest in the shade. I was concerned about how to afford a gazebo, but a willow dome will be much less expensive! Thank you for inspiring me!

[@Heath02]

You should grow passion fruit or peas up the outside if you make it!!

[@buckaroobonsaitree7488]

Beautiful tunnel, beautiful harp, beautiful person. Thank you for sharing your skills

[@hostjhall]

I feel like you could make the coolest structures ever for growing food plants on with hanging fruit

[@rcar9115]

The music in the beginning is wonderful and it really makes the project come to life!

[@vivianramsay2527]

Hannah!! That is beautiful work!! I've seen this type of thing in large public gardens and was always amazed by them but had no idea how it was done!! Mystery is solved but I'm still in awe of your expertise and amazing creativity! A true artist ! You make it look simple but I can see that it requires artful skills for design, planning and strength!! You surely should seek commissions for this unique skill ! Thank you for sharing ! You're awesome!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks for your encouraging words. x

[@MogiMann]

Fantastic! I just finished planting my own coppice field with over 18 varieties of willow here in British Columbia Canada, and I hope to weave my own Living willow structures, but with my own twist (Or should I say Weave!) You as always are an inspiration! Thank you for being awesome!!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Oh well done you!

[@norastorvik4155]

​@@HannaVanAelstDo you have any updates on your living structures? I am inspired and love your work, thank you!

[@SaintTrinianz]

Would love to see these structures wearing their leafy greens...

[@Nodeoergosum]

My grandchildren would love this!!

[@crimsonmarina7837]

Wow the kiddos must love these structures!! Beautiful work. I'm going to see if you have posted an update on what this looks like now 🤗

[@Nathan-wd6bx]

6 month sneak peek - If you look up “Adare Town Park” (Limerick Ireland) on google maps, there’s a 360 photo that shows a piece of it. All green and taking nicely! Google maps coordinates (52.5639295, -8.7890300)

[@thebambi5817]

I would really love to see how they look after a season !

[@claudiaapablaza8288]

So beautiful and so inspiring!!! 💗

[@KeiteiVentures]

Fabulous, that looks awesome!

[@hiyacynthia]

Absolutely lovely thank you so much for the tutorial

[@TheQueenOfDreams]

So beautiful and inspirational! ❤❤❤

[@NateD339]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@metroplexchl]

Beautiful!

[@Golden_SnowFlake]

Would really love an update! So beautiful!

[@austinb990]

You are so cool, this is the most awesome thing I've ever seen! So much love

[@jdsw970]

Absolutely magic, great skill !!

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

Beautiful.

[@Pumpkinwaffle]

Amazing work, it'll inspire plenty of kids to play in a growing willow tunnel :)

[@HannaVanAelst]

Yes I hope so!

[@JAMWITCH]

Children must love you, great video!

[@WorldOfMountains]

Amazing work

[@birdwatcher-ni5sk]

spectacular a work of living art

[@suzannerouleau6127]

Merci Hanna 😊 Beaucoup de travail pour l'entretien en perspective...

[@piercecottingham]

Truly amazing!

[@colinbateman8233]

I love your imagination and your open ability to share thank you

[@lauriel6329]

Wow! I am amazed, this is so beautiful! Thank you.

[@karenkilba2907]

AMAZING! Wow!!

[@racquelclark7659]

That structure is my dream 😍. I would play in trees a child and kind of do it now 🤣

[@mariaalba7647]

Foarte frumos !!!!!!

[@sherierodriguez7708]

WOW that is amazing!!! I absolutely love it.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Tx Sherie!

[@dylanchernovetz2149]

I have Hakuro nishiki tri dappled willows and they are definitely getting a trim in the fall, you’ve inspired me to do something with the branches. ❤

[@aislinggarland4952]

WOW they look amazing Hanna.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks Aisling!

[@Sunshine-lg8su]

New subscriber here! I love what you’ve done and I’m beyond impressed ~ I must try this! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@johnhickey6586]

This is a great video. Learned a lot.

[@hollybritton7255]

Loved this

[@petergordon4456]

Ello you certainly know how to work your magic nice one can’t wait to it see it Grow . Hope you are well Peter Scotland 💋 xx

[@leonlowenstadter9223]

That's amazing, I think I now an an idea how to build walls for my compost... I would be grateful for a follow-up video, too.

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

Brilliant!

[@charlotteramazzotti3018]

fantastic !!!!!

[@michealmurphy200]

Beautiful Hanna, really inspiring, well done as always.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks Michael!

[@JulianCoogan-zl1ru]

Lovely, it would be nice to see the hedges in full growth!

[@ayhank_orkmaz]

like a nesting bird, very beautiful, congratulations

[@Omni_i_inmO]

Thank you Hanna, i Love the repeating Structures, makes me Pretty Calm and kicks off my creativity, keep it up!! Love and Light

[@thaliabudai2013]

Amazing! Loved the music as well. I am looking forward to seeing it green out. I would probably use an electric ogre to make the holes.

[@maisiejowett9611]

absolutely beautiful ;D

[@wonderwend1]

Beautiful structures and beautiful harp music by Mara 💚 Thanks again for everything at the weekend 💚 Wendy A-R

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thank you Wendy, it was a pleasure to have you!

[@black_forest_]

We made one of these in my kindergarten, I was already out of there but like half the community came together for two days to build it, parents and kids together, it was so fun!

[@chuckwilliams1849]

Very nice I have been growing willows for 40 years .. I will be making a fence this year Thank You for this video

[@markmedia8252]

I would love to see this when it's growing

[@TheFarmacySeedsNetwork]

Very beautiful! Inspiring! Can you share a green growing update in the future polease? Nice Haarp too by the way! beautiful! cheers!

[@healthyrootsstrongwings538]

This is such inspiring content! I am just visiting a friend who has cut down a willow tree on his property. Must be synchronicity and I have already started selecting some cuttings. I hope they are not too old and still viable. For sure the results might not be as sexy as yours but I'm sure it will be awesome. Thanks for inspiring and making earth a little greenerr

[@gabriellehumphreys1179]

Can you do a follow up video please. Show me as it blooms and how to maintain. Ty

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

Oh! I just want to go play in there!🐝🤗❤️

[@HannaVanAelst]

Yes, me too! Just hang out there all day...😀

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

@@HannaVanAelst yes! It brings out the child in me just looking at it. That would be a great place to dream🐝🤗❤️

[@That_Squatch]

I love the techniques of the ancient fae in this modern age

[@hannahlorenz7972]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching. Mara’s music was a pleasure to hear. I’ve been wondering for some time now what an older living structure look like. I have only seen pictures and videos of relatively young plantings. Do you know how well living structures age?

[@patriziaberdini151]

Che brava😊

[@jasper4811]

We'd love an update on this structure!

[@NoPeeking]

i can imagine a structure as giving some protection from the weather for the homeless except for it not being rain resistant. I can also imagine it as being a haven for spiders stringing webs all across the pathways. As I think about it, I suppose a tarp supported on the inside of the structure could solve the rain problem.

[@Dorpers89]

alot of work went into that i would like to a updated video of it

[@atm50005]

Are roots of concern with such structures? What’re some species with noninvasive roots you could recommend?

[@annanelson6830]

Lovely music.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Tx!

[@jonosapi]

Very interesting! I wonder how it looks now after 2 years?

[@Joe-yo1tm]

Hi this is absolutely beautiful, I have a question. Will this willow eventually root into the ground and if you left it to grow on, what would it look like? Thanks

[@squillsify]

Is there any update of how these structures are looking now? Would love to see how they're growing in / being maintained.

[@purplecouch4767]

Cool

[@marymcandrew7667]

This was a really nice video and the music was beautiful! We just planted about 25 willows, I hope that is enough to be able to make some kind of structures someday from cuttings. Do you have any videos showing how the some structures look once they've grown out a bit? I great video would be you showing how to maintain a structure in it's different years! I'd learn so much by seeing what it will end up looking like or how it grows, never having made one before. Thank you Hanna!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Video's on how to maintain will come as I do maintenance in future...

[@marymcandrew7667]

@@HannaVanAelst I can't wait, I think they will be a great help. You don't see much on youtube like that.

[@richlijacanacua]

Amazing works of purely Natural Resources for making shields and Houses using Willows Sticks! Thank you so much for sharing! My question is: These willows sticks will continue grow and alive even on this structural form? Is it possible that this kind of structure will serve longer times or lifetimes?

[@ilse3887]

i love the way it looks now...but what will it look like when it starts to grow..and can you still walk inside of the tunnel when it does???

[@TheBurghFamily]

Thank you so much for sharing this video. It is really helpful. How many rods do you think you would use a 12 ft dome?

[@HannaVanAelst]

I use 2 rods every 20 cm

[@brettbrignac7591]

You made a Great video and Artistry. You made a affordable Tree House! 💯💯💗💗 When all rods are living and woven, the rods fuse together. Why can't the rods be cloned/fused technique to propagate all members of the structure?

[@bubbalove2261]

Can you please do an update video? I would like to see the structure and tunnels in green. How thick do the trunks get on a mature weave?

[@Jagdtyger2A]

Instead of dry rods woven horizontally, try greeen rods and peal them and the uprights to the inner bark where they cross and cover taht joint with a protective medium to form living grafts right ftom the start

[@ostrygaa52]

How do you maintain it? I'm thinking about making a willow living fence but I'm afraid that it will grow too big

[@makeys6725]

Hello Where did you get those willow rods? From a big willow tree? And did you leave them for long time in water so they start making roots?

[@andrewdowniephd]

Treemendous... we want to build a willow half-dome to place a bench beneath in our small orchard so taking lots of notes.

[@kimberlydrennon4982]

How are these sculptures doing? I'm thinking about making a living fence like this with mulberry

[@mana_station]

This is so awesome! Where can I find the species of willow used in your videos?

[@HegenerHomestead]

This is very cool, I'd love to see what it looks like in a few years. I live in New Hampshire, USA and asked locally if anyone had willow that I could get cuttings from. I got so many negative responses, people saying it's invasive, it's going to destroy my leachfield, well, house foundation, everything, and I would get an infestation of black bugs.... I never knew people hated willow so much. Its kind of crazy. I think it all depends on how you use things. Do you have any concerns like this with this living structure, that the roots will cause damage to other things nearby?

[@sarahingham8345]

I live in Northwest Tennessee, and i believe there is black willow around here native. Can I use that type, or does it need to be basket willow? I want to do a garden fence this way. It is beautiful and eventually would keep our creatures.

[@jameskniskern2261]

Could you please make a follow up video of these structures after they have grown out?

[@HannaVanAelst]

working on it yes.

[@Nathan-wd6bx]

6 month sneak peek - If you look up “Adare Town Park” (Limerick Ireland) on google maps, there’s a 360 photo that shows a piece of it. All green and taking nicely! Google maps coordinates (52.5639295, -8.7890300)

[@TheGarrettomahony]

Irish accent. 😍

[@gospelofchange]

I’d love an update!

[@mariakoller7920]

The music is amazing I wish I could get the name of the compositor. Thank you.

[@williamgair3230]

Great! The doorways though? You seem to have put more poles in those holes. Am I correct?

[@HannaVanAelst]

Yes 3 or 4 depending on how thick you need them.

[@marcusliriano9213]

Ide be interested in seeing how they grow in after a few years. Is the structure still accessible? seems like a interesting alternative to framing.

[@JackTalyorD]

When they say you can't build a house there..... I'm not in growing a garden 😂😂😂😂

[@aestew]

Gorgeous!! Do you go back and help maintain the structures or do they go wild?

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks Amy! I will go back to maintain the first year and show them how to do it so they can do it themselves from then on.

[@black_forest_]

There is hardly any willow where I live now but plenty of hazelnut. I wonder if they would still work even if theyre shorter? Or do they not root?

[@jamesadams4226]

Do you do anything for weed control around the base? If I planted that, my 6ft tall weeds would grow faster than the willow.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Yes, mulch.