Harvesting willow for making Christmas wreaths

Join flower farmer and florist Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers in Somerset as she harvests an order of willow for ‪@petershamnurseries5296‬ in Richmond, west London. This willow will be used as wreath bases for 100% biodegradable Christmas wreaths. It's great that such a high profile nursery like Petersham is blazing a trail like this, cutting plastic and wire from their Christmas products so that our winter celebrations don't cost the earth.
If you'd like to see how and learn to make both mossed twig-based wreaths and willow wreaths with no wire, floral foam, or plastic, please see the link below to order downloads.
We have some festive wreath demos online, which are now available to buy. Click here for details:
www.commonfarm...
You can see our full workshop calendar here www.commonfarm...
If you're booking a place on our workshops or demos the website will ask you to choose a delivery date - any date will do! And if you can't join our sessions live then you are still very welcome to book as we send the recording and notes of the workshop out to everyone afterwards, so you can download the session and refer back to it as and when you need to.
If you enjoy the tips and tricks Georgie gives you here, or would simply like to support the channel, the link to her Buy Me a Coffee page is here: www.buymeacoff...
Follow Georgie on instagram @commonfarmflowers
And on Twitter you can find Georgie at / theflowerfarmer
#willowwreaths #willowharvest #willow #harvestingwillow #flowerfarmersyear #winterflowerfarm #novemberflowerfarm #sustainablefloristry #sustainableChristmas

[@erwinroodt1245]

That wind was all to much. Relieved this recording is much better. I had no idea willow have such beautiful colour branches. Thanks for sharing your creativity. Some lovely willow branch usages.

[@theflowerfarmer]

Glad you enjoyed it - yes it was windy in Yorkshire! x

[@hollyadkins4729]

I love all your history and story telling. 🙏🏼

[@theflowerfarmer]

thank you x

[@MyFocusVaries]

I love the principle of only using natural materials! Last year I made garlands for around my door, strung on jute. After the season, the whole string went into the yard waste bin.

[@theflowerfarmer]

perfect x

[@kobedeister5234]

Those colors are really special.

[@theflowerfarmer]

thank you x

[@mirandamichaelis1066]

I agree, I am loving the Oaks and Willow taking over as the ice age recedes. How long will it be before the Willow you have stuck in the ground (striked) is large enough for you to harvest? Also, I can see you pollard your Willow. Mine are quite old and not great for harvesting. Would you suggest I cut them right back to almost the ground or to 1 m from the ground like yours?

[@theflowerfarmer]

we harvest gently after about three years and as time goes by we harvest more heavily x if you pollard to about head or shoulder height it's attractive and you get these gorgeous boles of wood where the wrens can live with their fat larder's of overwintering beetles x equally to the ground is probably more commercially viable x

[@mirandamichaelis1066]

Thank you! So informative

[@catherineengle4196]

God bless Georgie

[@theflowerfarmer]

thank you x

[@alisonburgess345]

Georgie - a question if I may... I was harvesting flowers the other day and noticed the lovely new semi soft foliage on a young chestnut tree, so I thought I'd cut some and try to condition it. It seemed to be fine - is ANY foliage usable if it can be conditioned? Is that the test? Nice video .. that willow just keeps going!

[@theflowerfarmer]

Yes, absolutely - I use anything that will condition for me, even if I'm told it won't x

[@ragnhildwadahl6171]

I have gigantic weeping willows, can branches from them be used for reefs?

[@jenniferhenderson4674]

I am a Florist in BC, Canada. I forage weeping willow branches for many many things. Mostly for armature and wreaths. I'm confident in sharing that, yes, you can use weeping willow branches for wreaths!

[@theflowerfarmer]

Yes so long as the stretches you use aren’t too soft to make a solid circle x

[@annecanty1227]

Gorgeous

[@Relaxits2024]

The thumb nail for an instant, looks like you are holding a rifle 😂😂😂😂

[@MyFocusVaries]

Exactly what I thought! British Lady off on the hunt.

[@theflowerfarmer]

haha! - no, I've never held a gun x

[@PHILIPPEEve]

☕🥐🍞🥖😋😉👍 JOLI🌱🌿

[@theflowerfarmer]

merci x