Our garden den needn’t just be for children or pets – we can make it in any size, as a single ‘room’ or a tunnel or walkway. Inspired by living willow ‘benders’, this lightweight frame makes the process simple. A series of hoops held together by a strong ring are fanned out into a domed shape and pushed into the ground, leaving a slightly bigger gap for an entrance. The frame is kept in shape by a ring round the circumference.
In spring, willow wands can be pushed straight into the ground, and if kept wet will ‘strike’ and grow. In this way, if planted around the frame, they may be tied in to create a neat shape. But there are many more options; thornless rambling and climbing roses, sweet peas, hops, ivy, anything in fact that is supple enough to be trained into shape.
