Flanders Red (Fresh Cut) IMPERFECT for Wreaths & Sculptures

Product description

6ft (10kg bundle) - Approx 420 rods per bundle

7ft (10kg bundle) - Approx 280 rods per bundle

Flanders Red willow rods are hardy with a waxy skin. The rod colour changes in colour from green at the butt end to red at the tip. It can grow 9ft long in a single growing season. No soaking required. Flanders is ideal for making wreath bases for adding other foliage, or for making a thicker simple willow wreath.

As this willow is freshly cut it does not need soaking before use, and should stay flexible for approximately 8-10 weeks.

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Around 10 – 15 rods are required per basic Christmas wreath. 6ft willow rods are a little easier to handle than 7ft rods, but more of the shorter rods will be needed to build the depth. As the pictures below show, fewer rods can be used.

7 steps to make a Christmas wreath with pictures

1 After soaking and mellowing, select a willow rod and bend it round into a circle. You will need to wrap the tip end of the rod (the top, thinnest part) around itself several times to stop it from springing apart. String or wire can be used to secure the rod

2 Continue to add rods one by one. For a neat finish, always ‘travel’ in the same direction and always insert the butt end (the bottom, fattest part) into the wreath first. Twist the rod around your circular structure several times. You will have butt ends sticking out. Don’t worry about these, they can be trimmed later. Tip ends should be woven through the wreath to prevent them from unravelling. Weave some rods in the opposite direction for a more ‘rustic’ finish

3 Keep adding rods. Remember to select a different place in the wreath to start. It’s best to have butt ends evenly spaced around the wreath

4 Keep bending and manipulating your wreath into a circular structure. After several rods have been added it should feel secure and fairly robust

5 Keep adding rods until the desired thickness has been achieved

6 Use secateurs to cut off the butt ends and tidy up any stray pieces

7 Use a bodkin to gently ease apart your weave and insert decorative items. Floristry wire is great for attaching festive materials

Willow is sold by weight and while most of our varieties are available in 1/2 and whole bundles, these are sold in 10kg bundles. A green willow rod weighs more than the same length of brown, white or buff. Therefore, a bundle of green willow contains less rods than the equivalent weight of brown, white or buff.

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