Give the gift of experience: Why willow weaving courses are a great sustainable gift for gardeners
16 June 2026
Need the perfect gift for the gardener in your life? Why not give them the gift of a new and exciting experience with a willow weaving course. Not only is this type of craft course ideally suited to green-thumbed individuals, it’s also a very sustainable gardening gift.
At Musgrove Willows, we host all our courses right here on our Somerset farm, where our family having been growing willow for generations. Hosted in our dedicated classroom – a cosy space complete with log burner, hot drinks, and the smell of fresh cut willow – Musgrove farm is the ideal setting for learning the timeless skill of willow weaving. Here are just a few reasons why a course with us is a great gift for gardening enthusiasts.
1. Beginner-friendly classes
No previous weaving experience? No problem – our courses are structured to suit both seasoned weavers and beginners who’ve never tried weaving before. Every class contains 4-10 people (depending on the course), ensuring everyone has plenty of space to work and opportunities to receive hands-on guidance from our experienced tutors.
There’s also no need to worry about lacking artistic skill. Our courses take you through a weave step by step, following a guide designed to be done by anyone, with our friendly tutor to help every step of the way.
After each class, we provide notes on the craft we worked on so our participants can continue weaving at home, and the opportunity to purchase any willow needed. Our YouTube channel and Help and Advice section also contain lots of videos and articles to help guide beginner weavers in their craft.
2. Craft with sustainably grown willow
We provide all the materials for our willow craft courses, including willow grown by us using traditional farming methods. We take many measures to ensure our willow is sustainably grown, including:
Efficient water use
Our field drainage and irrigation structures are designed to ensure our water usage is as efficient as possible – many of our fields are surrounded by water ditches. We extensively harvest and store rainwater in huge tanks, and use this to wash our stripped willow.
Eco-friendly energy sources
Solar panels mounted on the roof generate clean energy and electricity for our weaving sheds. We do not use fossil fuels to boil or steam our willow. Instead, we use waste and offcut willow to fuel our willow boiler. We also turn willow offcuts into high quality art charcoal.
Good land management
We work carefully with the land around us to minimise our impact on the local environment and wildlife. Cattle are used to weed our willow beds, and we only move soil using tractors when absolutely necessary.
3. Choose from a variety of courses
A memorable experience that teaches a traditional, eco-friendly heritage craft is a great gift for a sustainability-minded gardener. At Musgrove Willows, we offer a range of different willow weaving courses – including willow for the garden courses.
From living willow structures to weaving your very own willow hurdle fencing, you can gift the perfect course to suit your recipient. They will come away from the experience brimming with newfound willow weaving knowledge, and a newly made willow craft ready to put to use.
4. Meet like-minded individuals
Attending a willow weaving course is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people also interested in gardening, nature, and sustainability.
Any gardener knows how beneficial gardening is for mental wellbeing – and the same is true for willow weaving. Working with natural materials like willow engages all our senses, makes us feel connected to nature, and encourages people to be present in the moment.
5. Enjoy a fun day out in nature
Gifting someone a weaving course with Musgrove Willows gives them the chance to take a day out of regular life and learn a new skill. Most of our courses are held over one day (some advanced courses are across two days), and include hot drinks throughout the day and a tasty home-cooked lunch. We hold classes in our dedicated classroom, an airy space with plenty of room and natural light – plus a log burner to keep everyone warm in the winter.
Our courses are also a golden opportunity to experience nature connectivity, a sensation gardening enthusiasts will be familiar with – a feeling of being emotionally and physically connected to the natural world. We are sometimes able to hold a short, guided tour of our willow farm during courses (staff dependent), helping attendees further connect with the willow they are working with.
A willow weaving course could be the perfect gardening gift
Give the gift of a day out in nature and book your loved one a spot on one of our willow weaving courses. You can also purchase a gift card in the amount of your choice instead, so your recipient can choose which course they would like to do.
If you have any questions about our courses or willow products, please just get in touch with the Musgrove team.
