A Good Time to use Willow, Cornus and Hazel in the Garden

Posted:13 March 2016

Now is the ideal time to prepare for growth by creating structures that will support growing grasses, perennials and vegetables and the ideal materials to use are those that will blend beautifully into your plantings.

At the Garden House we particularly love to use cuttings of shrubby Cornus alba, C. sericea and C. sanguine.  Bright red, yellow and green they hold their colour for months to come and provide a delightfully decorative touch.  This is the ideal time to hard prune the winter stems, they will regrow vigorously producing more colourful stems to brighten up the garden next winter.

If you can find a good source of straight and strong hazel branches, these can also be used for creative structures, plant supports and edging.

Willow makes the most beautiful tall wigwam and arch structures for growing runner beans and sweet peas but watch out, if left in the ground for a long period these tend to take root!