When everything is blooming in a colorful cottage garden and insects are cavorting between the flowers and bushes, every gardener's heart will probably soar. This natural way of garden design relies on ecological material - from the plant fertilizer to the bed edging. Wiry fences would only spoil the overall impression. Another motto is: do it yourself. Try your own raised bed made of willow.
A bed border can be braided from willow
building instructions
- Take several branches from a willow.
- Choose a suitable location for your raised bed.
- Soak the willow rods in water for a few days.
- Loosen the soil in the desired location.
- Drive wooden stakes into the ground, spaced a little apart, to border your raised bed.
- Braid the flexible willow rods between the posts.
- Tighten the rods in between.
- Cut off the protruding rods at the end so that a closed fence is created.
The most important questions
How can the willow raised bed be designed?
With regard to the braiding pattern, you can let your creativity run free. You can create different looks by changing the order in which you tie the rods around the posts after a few layers. You also have unlimited leeway when it comes to height. Use the branches of different willow species. This brings color to your garden.
How high is the maintenance effort?
Willow rods are weather resistant and robust. If you choose young, still green shoots, they will usually continue to sprout. In this case, pruning may be necessary from time to time.
How long will a raised bed made of willow last?
Although it is a natural material, a willow raised bed is very durable. Just be careful that there are no landslides during heavy rainfall. This could deform or topple the bed edging. However, small animals may nibble on the rods.
Can a pet get poisoned from the willow raised bed?
Many gardeners first think carefully about whether they are endangering their pet by planting a tree or shrub. You can rest easy when using willow. Willow is not poisonous and also has a bitter taste. Animals that eat from it once will probably not do it a second time.