Hullo. For a couple of years we wanted to do a living willow dome. I'm
ready for it. My apple tree is going to the lotty and I'll have enough
room for it now in its place. It's my winter project, or at least one
of them... From what I have read and searched all I find are kits,
sculptures and I think they want my money above all else. As anyone
done one and my questions a- is a matting necessary? Do I really
need 10m of free ground around it? Should I be best growing my own from
cuttings (I'll use the lotty to grow the willows) and coppice it? Is
6ft/8ft branches to do my dome enough, what kind of ties should I be
using and finally can I mix two variety for colours the salix alba
britzensis and the vitellina? Thank yous!

La puce wrote:
Hullo. For a couple of years we wanted to do a living willow dome.
I'm
ready for it. My apple tree is going to the lotty and I'll have
enough
room for it now in its place. It's my winter project, or at least
one
of them... From what I have read and searched all I find are kits,
sculptures and I think they want my money above all else. As
anyone
done one and my questions a- is a matting necessary? Do I really
need 10m of free ground around it? Should I be best growing my own
from cuttings (I'll use the lotty to grow the willows) and coppice
it? Is 6ft/8ft branches to do my dome enough, what kind of ties
should I be using and finally can I mix two variety for colours the
salix alba britzensis and the vitellina? Thank yous!

I never actually got round to it, but the one I planned had no
supports at all -- just the trees themselves, at about one-foot
intervals. They'll need to be a heck of a lot more than 8 feet tall
if you want to get inside the dome, and by the time they get big
enough, the main trunks will have lost their colour. I'd never buy a
kit: just take lots of cuttings (now's the time). I don't see why
there has to be that much space around it.

There's a lot on the Web if you Google "willow dome".

--
Mike.

The message . com
from "La puce" contains these words:

Hullo. For a couple of years we wanted to do a living willow dome. I'm
ready for it. My apple tree is going to the lotty and I'll have enough
room for it now in its place. It's my winter project, or at least one
of them... From what I have read and searched all I find are kits,
sculptures and I think they want my money above all else. As anyone
done one and my questions a- is a matting necessary? Do I really
need 10m of free ground around it? Should I be best growing my own from
cuttings (I'll use the lotty to grow the willows) and coppice it? Is
6ft/8ft branches to do my dome enough, what kind of ties should I be
using and finally can I mix two variety for colours the salix alba
britzensis and the vitellina? Thank yous!

How near the house will this willow dome be? And how near to any drains?

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
How near the house will this willow dome be? And how near to any drains?

Very near to the house - about 3m from house wall and 2m from a wooden
fence (neighbours). The drains are further - I'd imagine 4m side of the
house wall.

I've search google Mike, and my questions are precisely what
organisations couldn't give me, like JPR Willow, Slimlet willow - only
do 'workshop for kids' and sell the kits at 220 squids!! The HDRA have
a very useful fact sheets but the questions I need answered are not in
their doc. Simply Willow are also very expensive and point out to the
Gardeners Wold magazine feature and charge unrealistic prices for their
willows. I don't do 'expensive' - I don't buy much really. I recycle
and I love receiving and giving gifts )

I'm sure someone in here *must* have used willows ...

The message .com
from "La puce" contains these words:
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
How near the house will this willow dome be? And how near to any drains?

Very near to the house - about 3m from house wall and 2m from a wooden
fence (neighbours). The drains are further - I'd imagine 4m side of the
house wall.

IMO, dangerously close to both.

I've search google Mike, and my questions are precisely what
organisations couldn't give me, like JPR Willow, Slimlet willow - only
do 'workshop for kids' and sell the kits at 220 squids!! The HDRA have
a very useful fact sheets but the questions I need answered are not in
their doc. Simply Willow are also very expensive and point out to the
Gardeners Wold magazine feature and charge unrealistic prices for their
willows. I don't do 'expensive' - I don't buy much really. I recycle
and I love receiving and giving gifts )

I'm sure someone in here *must* have used willows ...

I don't know - willows aren't housetrained, and undermine foundations,
break into drains, and the roots of some of them will extend a quarter
of a mile to get to water.

Personally, I wouldn't let a willow loose anywhere near the house. Do it
with hazel, perhaps, and set some climbers free over it.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:

IMO, dangerously close to both.

I don't know - willows aren't housetrained, and undermine foundations,
break into drains, and the roots of some of them will extend a quarter
of a mile to get to water.

Well I thought so to myself - however, the ground is pretty damp there,
sheltered from the fence and a hedge, which is not a really good thing
as willow like sun, but the sun gets there part of the day. You know,
none of the material given on all those willow dome kits on the net
mention this? None.

Personally, I wouldn't let a willow loose anywhere near the house. Do it
with hazel, perhaps, and set some climbers free over it.

Ho. What a brilliant idea! I have a white pompom rose climbing on the
fence. Huge thing it is now and this year the scent made us dizzy.
Perhaps I could train her on the dome from the fence. But it's really
going beside my initial project ... a living dome!!

I should have married a farmer ... with S P A C E
all around (

The message .com
from "La puce" contains these words:
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:

IMO, dangerously close to both.

I don't know - willows aren't housetrained, and undermine foundations,
break into drains, and the roots of some of them will extend a quarter
of a mile to get to water.

Well I thought so to myself - however, the ground is pretty damp there,
sheltered from the fence and a hedge, which is not a really good thing
as willow like sun, but the sun gets there part of the day. You know,
none of the material given on all those willow dome kits on the net
mention this? None.

Well, they wouldn't, would they?

Personally, I wouldn't let a willow loose anywhere near the house. Do it
with hazel, perhaps, and set some climbers free over it.

Ho. What a brilliant idea! I have a white pompom rose climbing on the
fence. Huge thing it is now and this year the scent made us dizzy.
Perhaps I could train her on the dome from the fence. But it's really
going beside my initial project ... a living dome!!

You could coppice your hazel (or willow...) and grow a living globe -
but the way to get hazel to do its thing is to have it reaching for a
hole in the canopy, so ideally, you'd plant your ring of hazels (or
willows) and enclose them in a twenty foot tube. A factory chimney would
do, but you'd need to take the top off.

Use all the spare bricks thus released for edging and an apple store.

I should have married a farmer ... with S P A C E
all around (

If I know farmers, he'd apply for planning permission to extend your
dome into a full-sized house.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On 16/11/05 14:26, in article
, "Jaques d'Alltrades"
wrote:

snip

If I know farmers, he'd apply for planning permission to extend your
dome into a full-sized house.

Our local farmer told us a tale or two the other day that indicates planning
departments aren't always sympathetic to them. He and his wife have now
retired and wanted to add one room to her dead father's two bedroomed
bungalow so that they can move in and have a study. The planning officer
was incredulous "what on earth do you want with a study? Why can't you put
the computer in a corner of your bedroom?" Then their son asked for the
same thing to be added to his house and was asked the same question. So he
took them into the kitchen and showed them the mountainous pile of paperwork
a grateful government expects him to deal with - in his bedroom? The same
son wanted to build an en suite bathroom above this study, allowing his wife
and he some privacy in the morning and evening rush. The comment was "what
on earth does a farmer want with an en suite bathroom" - he said he felt as
if he was expected to swill himself off under the yard pump! Another son
has five children so wanted to add on a bedroom in his house. Planning
officer said he saw no reason for it and suggested the two older children
should go down the lane each night and sleep at their grandparents' house!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

Our local farmer told us a tale or two the other day that indicates planning
departments aren't always sympathetic to them. He and his wife have now
retired and wanted to add one room to her dead father's two bedroomed
bungalow so that they can move in and have a study. The planning officer
was incredulous "what on earth do you want with a study? Why can't you put
the computer in a corner of your bedroom?" Then their son asked for the
same thing to be added to his house and was asked the same question. So he
took them into the kitchen and showed them the mountainous pile of paperwork
a grateful government expects him to deal with - in his bedroom? The same
son wanted to build an en suite bathroom above this study, allowing his wife
and he some privacy in the morning and evening rush. The comment was "what
on earth does a farmer want with an en suite bathroom" - he said he felt as
if he was expected to swill himself off under the yard pump! Another son
has five children so wanted to add on a bedroom in his house. Planning
officer said he saw no reason for it and suggested the two older children
should go down the lane each night and sleep at their grandparents' house!

Incredible!

Takes your breath away innit.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On 16/11/05 16:33, in article
, "Jaques d'Alltrades"
wrote:

The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

Our local farmer told us a tale or two the other day that indicates planning
departments aren't always sympathetic to them. He and his wife have now
retired and wanted to add one room to her dead father's two bedroomed
bungalow so that they can move in and have a study. The planning officer
was incredulous "what on earth do you want with a study? Why can't you put
the computer in a corner of your bedroom?" Then their son asked for the
same thing to be added to his house and was asked the same question. So he
took them into the kitchen and showed them the mountainous pile of paperwork
a grateful government expects him to deal with - in his bedroom? The same
son wanted to build an en suite bathroom above this study, allowing his wife
and he some privacy in the morning and evening rush. The comment was "what
on earth does a farmer want with an en suite bathroom" - he said he felt as
if he was expected to swill himself off under the yard pump! Another son
has five children so wanted to add on a bedroom in his house. Planning
officer said he saw no reason for it and suggested the two older children
should go down the lane each night and sleep at their grandparents' house!

Incredible!

Takes your breath away innit.

Well, it helps to explain why that sort of attitude, plus the treatment
farmers get from the govt. and supermarket chains, means that in our area we
now have one dairy farmer only and no pig farmers at all. Very soon, this
is going to be an island that can no longer feed itself and IMO, that's a
treacherously dangerous situation for us to be in.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article , Sacha
writes


Well, it helps to explain why that sort of attitude, plus the treatment
farmers get from the govt. and supermarket chains, means that in our area we
now have one dairy farmer only and no pig farmers at all. Very soon, this
is going to be an island that can no longer feed itself and IMO, that's a
treacherously dangerous situation for us to be in.

Well, I'm not sure how much a conclusion you can draw from the rantings
of one bigoted individual.

That's the trouble, of course. All of us represent whatever groups we
are a member of - it just takes one of us to behave badly, and the
reputation of the whole group is tarnished.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On 16/11/05 17:59, in article , "Kay"
wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes


Well, it helps to explain why that sort of attitude, plus the treatment
farmers get from the govt. and supermarket chains, means that in our area we
now have one dairy farmer only and no pig farmers at all. Very soon, this
is going to be an island that can no longer feed itself and IMO, that's a
treacherously dangerous situation for us to be in.

Well, I'm not sure how much a conclusion you can draw from the rantings
of one bigoted individual.

That's the trouble, of course. All of us represent whatever groups we
are a member of - it just takes one of us to behave badly, and the
reputation of the whole group is tarnished.

One bigoted individual? Which bigoted individual? Do you mean the farmer?
He and his wife are neighbours of ours and have now retired. They have
farmed in this area for years and years - they have 8 children, many of whom
have followed them into farming, some of whom have emigrated to Australia.
They're not bigoted, they're experienced in the ways of bureaucrats and
farming, if you refer to them. But I do hope that you don't.
Or do you mean one bigoted individual from the Planning Dept. of the South
Hams District Council? More than one planning officer was involved in this
little saga. And you should have met the 'only just started shaving' youth
from that dept. who was trying to make his reputation and career on us
erecting two signs at the entrance to the nursery.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

And you should have met the 'only just started shaving' youth
from that dept. who was trying to make his reputation and career on us
erecting two signs at the entrance to the nursery.


Whilst I appreciate that in those days you had not 'only just started
shaving', this came later, do you state that you were never 'young' and
therefore 'knew everything' from the day you were born?

Yes I thought so :-(( That's the way you act :-((

In article , Sacha
writes
On 16/11/05 17:59, in article , "Kay"
wrote:

One bigoted individual? Which bigoted individual? Do you mean the farmer?

No, of course not.

Or do you mean one bigoted individual from the Planning Dept. of the South
Hams District Council?

Yes

More than one planning officer was involved in this
little saga.

OK, sorry, I must have misread your account - I thought it was just one
guy letting his prejudices show. You know, I have a really good knack of
rubbing you up the wrong way, and it's not deliberate! :-)

And you should have met the 'only just started shaving' youth
from that dept. who was trying to make his reputation and career on us
erecting two signs at the entrance to the nursery.

Wish we had him round our way. There are currently 3 large advertising
signs set up without permission on the park opposite, advertising
businesses between 1/4 and 1/2 mile away, attracting drivers' attention
on a particularly complex set of traffic lights and crossing point for 3
local primary schools.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Sacha wrote:

Well, it helps to explain why that sort of attitude, plus the treatment
farmers get from the govt. and supermarket chains, means that in our area we
now have one dairy farmer only and no pig farmers at all. Very soon, this
is going to be an island that can no longer feed itself and IMO, that's a
treacherously dangerous situation for us to be in.

I'd be more positive now. I think it is going to be a slow process but
things are changing for the better. But indeed the last 30 years have
been bad. The young farmers were not attracted to the hard life their
fathers had and the competition became too hard. The farmers are now
trying to organise themselves forming cooperatives to compete with
supermarkets and looking a cultivation in sustainable ways. The fashion
of organic goods is sweeping everywhere which helps in some area to
re-activate the farmers market and the scary stories of food additives,
herbicides, colorants etc. help us to be more choosy in what we buy and
eat and this the govt. realises. Biodiversity is now an important part
of our kids GCSE. Conservation is everywhere, from our mountains
woodlands to little urban patches of land. All housing developments now
establish green corridors to promote sound ecological environments.
Farmers get rewards for protecting our environment. There is now a
network of some 63 city farms, over 1,000 community gardens, and 72
school farms, as well as an increasing number of allotments groups
sprouting (ha!) everywhere. That with the hundreds of healthy eating
schemes, the farms adopting a schools etc. we will see before long some
changes for the better and this island will be the richest in Europe
for it.

Now is the right time to marry a farmer )