Willow Structure Restoration

December 15 & 16, 2011

John came to Bore Place to collect me Thursday morning and we headed to Dorton House School near Sevenoaks. Dorton House School is a school for the blind and visually impaired. Used to be a boarding and day school, but, I'm not sure if there are any boarding students there these days.

To get to the school we passed through a very upper class neighborhood comprised of 'Russians and football players'...

I'm told.

Don't ask me any more than that because I. don't. know.

The houses were big, but, what impressed me most were the large trees running along both sides of the street. Here's where it would be good to have that tree ID thing nailed, so I could say what they were... or a better memory, because I did ask John and he told me, but alas, 'je ne sais pas'.

If I had to guess, I would say they might very well have been oaks...something about the bark and the straightness of the trees makes me think that.

Now I'll be really embarrassed when I have to come back and tell you it was something different.

Nigel met us there, having traded his motorbike for a properly enclosed form of transportation, a cute little blue car. He's been driving that motorbike around for 4 years spring-summer-fall-winter. He's had the car for some time but has been studying for the license exam... recently took it and passed on his first try.

Well done!

Here in England, you do not need a license to operate a motorcycle.

You heard me write...
(I did that on purpose, I know it is spelled r-i-g-h-t.)

I know... not sure what that line of thinking is... but, that's the way it is.

You do however, need a license to operate a chainsaw... If I was hearing a recent conversation correctly.
(If any English folks reading can clarify/explain these things...please do make a comment and do that... then we'll all know.)

So, John had planted this willow structure 12 years ago and they have neither done any maintenance themselves nor had John back to do maintenance.

12 years of growing and blowing about in the wind... this is what it looked like when we got there.

from the back

It had started out as a circle of willow with a twisted willow column at the center. Each willow rod on the outside was connected to the central column, so, it was not the same dome shape we've seen before. I'm not sure really what to call it?

The reason John used this central column design was because the diameter was quite large (I am guessing 15' or more maybe?) and at the time of planting, it would have been impossible to be able to join the opposite willow rods (and be able to stand up inside).

As you may or may not be able to see from the picture. What we had was a circle of willow that was somewhere around 24' high and some of them were 5 inches in diameter or so.

In looking at it, John determined that some pretty significant cutting back was in order. Particularly in the front.

from the front

Most of the willow at the front was growing in an outward direction and was so big it would have been impossible to pull it back in towards the center.

So the strategy would be to first remove most of the willow at the front, cutting it at about 2' from the ground and then anything dead or incapable of being reconnected with the center. Then reconnect the side willow that is remaining with the central column and weave all the smaller new growth back into the top or sides Recreating a few arched 'doors' into the structure.

With that established we set to work... John with the chainsaw and Nigel and I clearing away the fallen trees, removing the branches and loading it all into the truck.

A note about chainsaw safety which John went over with me since it was my first time being in close proximity to him using a chainsaw... the two most important rules I noted are:

1) DO NOT tap John on the shoulder to get his attention when he has a running chainsaw in his hands and

2) DO NOT be in the way of a falling tree.

the front willow cut

removing some wood from the central column at about 10' height

trimming away the dead or non-useful wood around the rest of the diameter

the truck filled up fast! Nigel is up there jumping up and down on it all, packing it down so we could fit more on!

Bert the dog inspecting the work... John, thinking, envisioning or singing... I'm not sure which.

entrance number one  re-established on left side... can you see the woven willow archway?

It was a great day. Educational for me, and John managed to keep Nigel and I well entertained into the bargain. For that matter, Nigel is quite a card himself. In their presence I feel completely comfortable being my own goofy self.

The weather held for the work. Cold and sunny in the morning. JW made a trip back to Bore Place to unload the truck leaving Nigel and I to carry on for awhile on our own. That seemed like a significant vote of confidence! When he got back, the nice folks at the school let us in for our lunch break. Its always nice to be able to warm up a little and for me, nice to have a loo!

... ...

Next morning it was ccccold and I stayed in my cozy loft bed under the warm comforter as long as I could before I needed to get up and dressed. If you've read "Proper Job Nigel, Proper Job" then you already know that it snowed Friday morning, which had me jumping for joy! I was on my second cup of coffee before I opened the shades and saw the snow.

Yes, I did have the presence of mind to put the coffee cup down before I started jumping...

Hoooorrraaayyy!!! Hooooorraayy!!! Hooorrraaayyyyy! I had visions of inches accumulating!

John again collected me from the Small Barn and it was a winter wonderland drive to the school. The big fluffy flakes falling down and sticking, until the still green grass on the hillsides was almost completely hidden under a blanket of white.

It was a feast for my eyes to behold... I was in heaven!

Back at the job. More pruning, more clearing away debris and raking up the small stuff (with a little snow mixed in for good measure!), filling the truck full again making 3 truckloads total, and of course, more tea.

Here's the final structure as we left it.

that's Nigel on the left and John on the right...

 I wish I had gotten a closeup of the central column because it is so cool!!! I think you can see though, how John twisted the willow when he planted it 12 years ago and it grew into an awesome twisted willow column!

So, everything that was cut will ultimately sprout. Those sprouts will be woven back in to become either the 'walls' or 'ceiling', obviously depending on where they are. The front might possibly end up with some sort of window(s) in it... that will be determined once it has had opportunity to sprout and grow.

I think it looks amazing!! Don't you?

Yes... definitely, a proper job!

hugs-

susie