How to make a living willow harlequin tree
23 April 2025
Creating a Living Willow Harlequin Tree
In this video, I’m going to show you how I create a living willow harlequin tree, sometimes also called a living willow tree. This is a great project for containers and works well in small gardens or patios.
Preparing the Container
To start, choose a straight-sided container. I’m using one that’s about 8 inches wide and roughly 10 inches tall.
Fill the container about halfway with ordinary compost.
Next, take an old plastic plant pot and cut the bottom out of it. This pot should be slightly smaller than the main container, about an inch narrower all the way around. This inner pot helps keep space between the willow rods while you’re weaving and stops everything collapsing inward.
Place the cut pot into the centre of the container. Now fill both the middle of the pot and the space around the outside with compost. Focus on packing the compost firmly around the outer edge to create a solid base. Leave about half an inch of space below the rim of the container.
This creates a strong foundation to work from.
Choosing and Preparing the Willow
For this project, I’m using 6–7ft Flanders Red living willow from Musgrove Willows. It arrived around 48 hours ago.
As soon as living willow arrives, it’s important to remove it from its wrapping and put it straight into water. If left wrapped, willow can sweat and develop mould. Let it breathe and soak it well.
When selecting rods, I’m looking for ones that are fairly straight and of similar thickness. I remove any that are too thick or uneven. Willow is a natural product, so small kinks, marks, and colour variation are normal and part of its character.
The number of rods you’ll need depends on the container size and design. For this tree, I’ll be using 12 rods.
Planting the Willow Rods
Rather than overplanning, I like to work with the container and see what feels right.
Plant the rods straight down into the compost, stopping about an inch above the bottom of the container. Start by placing rods at 12 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 3 o’clock, and 9 o’clock, then fill in the gaps evenly between them.
In total, I’ve planted 12 rods. This is a single-rod harlequin tree, but you can also use double or triple rods if you want a thicker trunk.
Making Simple Adjustable Ties
Before weaving, I prepare simple adjustable ties using hair bands and short pieces of willow. These create flexible “toggles” that hold the weave in place while still allowing adjustments.
You’ll need around 20–30 of these, although you may not use them all.
Weaving the Willow
To start weaving, take two neighbouring rods. The left rod goes over the right, then the next rod goes under. Continue this pattern around the base.
Use a toggle to secure each join. These ties are adjustable, so you can move them up or down as needed. Don’t worry if the weave looks uneven at first, as it can be adjusted later.
Work your way all the way around to complete the first row. Then repeat the same pattern for the next row, stacking the weave upwards.
Be careful not to kink the rods as you go. You’ll notice tension building as the weave pulls inward. This is why the inner pot is important—it keeps everything spaced correctly while you work.
Working Up the Tree
As you move higher, you can remove toggles from lower rows and reuse them further up. This “piggybacking” keeps the structure neat and flexible.
If a rod fails or snaps, it’s easy to replace. Simply follow the same over-and-under weaving pattern with a new rod, plant it where the old one was, and cut the damaged rod away in sections. Because you’re not using fixed ties everywhere, repairs are straightforward.
Finishing the Top
Once you reach the desired height, finish the top using stretchy, biodegradable garden twine. Pre-stretch the twine, then wrap it around the top two or three times and secure with knots.
This creates a fixed height and allows the rods to grow and graft together naturally.
Trim the tops with secateurs, cutting at a slight angle. The finished tree here is around 3–4ft tall.
Maintaining the Shape
If you want to hold the shape as it grows, you can add simple willow hoops inside the structure. These don’t need to be living willow and will naturally die back over time. Insert and tie them gently where needed to support the form.
Project Summary
For this harlequin tree, I used:
- 7ft Flanders Red living willow
- 12 rods planted in the base
- A container roughly 10 inches high and 8 inches wide
- Final height of around 3–4ft
You can easily adjust these sizes by using more rods, thicker willow, or a larger container.
Consolidating the Base
Once the roots have established, the inner pot can be removed. If it’s plastic, carefully cut it away with secateurs and extract it.
A more eco-friendly option is to use a cardboard carpet tube or lino roll. These can be cut to size, placed into the container, and left to biodegrade naturally. Just make sure there’s no plastic or adhesive attached.
You can also dress over the top with stone chippings if you’re displaying or selling the finished tree.
That’s the completed living willow harlequin tree, ready to grow and develop over time.
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