Living Willow Fedges

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Living Willow Fedge

A ‘Fedge’ is a cross between a FEnce and a heDGE, constructed from living willow.  Willow fedges can be very decorative, longer lasting than many types of fences yet have the ecology value of a hedge. On this page we explain the basics of constructing a willow fedge but the real fun is coming up with your own creative design.

It’s best to decide on the design before you order the materials so you can order just the right amount of living willow rods, plus a few spares.

Start by marking out the line of the fedge, and clear or kill off the vegetation for at least 200 mm either side of the fedge line. If using a mulch mat, lay this out, pegging it down at regular intervals.

Insert the living willow rods at regular interval, either upright, at an angle, or a mixture of both depending upon your chosen design.  We have suggested some basic fedge principles below.
Living Willow Fedge Designs

Living Willow Fedge Vertical Rods

Living Willow Fedge Diagonal Rods

Living Willow Fedge Curved Rods

Your willow fedge design can be as simple or as intricate as you want it to be. The key principles are to insert the living willow rods 300 mm (12”) into the ground and to weave the willow rods together to form a stiffer structure. On exposed and very windy locations you would do well to consider constructing an A frame willow fedge (like a runner bean support frame) for extra rigidity.
Living Willow Fedge A Frame

Living Willow Fedge A Frame for Windy Sites

Once the living willow rods have been planted you can weave them in and out of each other to increase it’s strength and density. Tie the willow rods together where necessary using rubber tubing that’ll expand as the living willow structure grows. In the second living willow fedge design, on the right hand side, we’ve shown the living willow rods before they’ve been woven.  On the left hand side we’ve shown them woven into the willow fedge.

Willow rods can be used to weave horizontal lines along the fedge as shown in the first fedge example.  We’ve shown two rods for clarity but it would be better to weave at least three rods winding them round each other as you proceed (winding not shown).

The tips of the living willow rods can either be trimmed neatly along the top, or better still, curve or bend them over and weave them back into the fedge.
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