WATTLE HURDLE FENCING

The classic rustic fence made from either hazel or willow. Excellent as a windbreak, screen and for fencing children and animals in or out. Well cared for they will last for ten years especially where the rustic charms of a gracefully ageing panel are appropriate.

What is a wattle hurdle?

Fence panels of woven 'green' Hazel and Willow have been used for centuries. They are the ideal instant windbreak, less likely to blow down than sawn-lap panels, and give an attractive rustic appearance particularly effective in less formal settings. Individual wattle panels are generally more costly than Sawn Lap panels however additional costs for posts are far less and they are much easier to erect. As they age they become brittle and you need to securely erect them to reduce flexing damage.

Where do they come from?

Hazel is a woodland shrub which when you cut it down sends up lots of useful shoots. After eight years these are ready to be coppiced or cut again and used in wattle hurdles. It is particularly common in the woods of Hampshire and the SW of England that are the main hurdle-making areas although most counties in England will have one or two people who make hazel hurdles.

Willow while found naturally in woods is usually grown in planted areas called 'Osier Beds' .As with Hazel when you cut it down it sends up lots of shoots which are typically cut for use every 1-2 years. At one time most areas had osier beds in river valleys where willow likes to grow, usually to grow willow for basket-making. Today most British Willow is grown in Somerset where there are a number of large hurdle-making companies. Elsewhere local companies are less common than with hazel.

(Close up picture of hazel and willow wattle fence to show the contrasting weave. A chunkier weave than Willow tends to make Hazel more 'Rustic' in appearance.

Erecting a Wattle Hurdle Fence

Picture of hurdle being erected

Picture of hurdle being used as panel insert in a brick wall.

A wattle insert in a brick wall brings a touch of the rustic to even the most sophisticated of gardens!. For safety reasons the brick plinths should not exceed 3 feet in height and ideally have reinforcing rods built into them.

Care and Maintenance

· In windy situations a third stake in the middle of the fence panel reduces damage from flexing in the wind.
· Regularly check posts are secure. This will help to reduce damage from flexing.
· The first place hurdles will rot is on the twists around the end posts. These twists are necessary to stop the end posts falling out and a 'good' hurdle will have frequent twists..
· A non-creosote preservative will help them to last.

Buying Hurdles

The standard size of wattle hurdles is six feet by three, four, five or six feet high. Most makers will offer a range of other wattle products for the garden and will make panels to any size you wish. Outside Hampshire and the South West of England most hurdles will have to be ordered in advance, as large stocks are not carried.

Beware! In response to increasing demand for rustic garden products hazel and willow products are widely imported without declaring the product's origin. Whenever possible please buy direct from the local craftsmen.

Forest Stewardship Council

The FSC is a world-wide non-profit organisation promoting the conservation of the worlds forests. They run an independent certification scheme to help consumers identify wood products from well managed sources. When you can not get a locally sourced product the FSC logo is the best guarantee of the environmental quality of the wood product you buy.

The Local Woodland Products Initiative is working to increase the use of sustainable woodland products in the garden. For more details contact Geoff Sinclair (Tel 01473 327 720) or Karen Kenny (Tel 01473 718874)

Further Information

· Fencing: A Practical Conservation Handbook by Elizabeth Agate, published by BTCV
· The Garden DIY Expert by Dr D.G. Hessayon published by Expert Books
· The RHS Encyclopaedia of Gardening, Edited by Christopher Bricknell published by Dorling Kindersley