Supporting roles
Twisted hazel
Traditionally, coppiced hazel has been widely used in both ornamental and vegetable gardens. It is especially useful for staking a wide range of herbaceous plants. Twisted basket structures are easy and quick to construct and can be built to any size to meet an individual plant’s requirements. Hazel is naturally twiggy and the multi-branched stems provide plenty of support for new growth to grow through. The posts can be pushed directly into the ground as hazel is unlikely to root. Although beautiful in their own right, the structures rapidly become engulfed in leaf and blend seamlessly into a border.
How to make
Staking herbaceous plants is easier in the spring when you can see the new growth appearing, but it’s imperative that you provide support before the plant actually needs it; it’s virtually impossible to build a structure discreetly over an established plant without damaging it. It is helpful to know the
