Wattle Hurdles

Wattle hurdles can be made from Willow or Hazel and have practical as well as decorative uses. For a more natural looking answer to fencing in your garden a decorative wattle hurdle fence can blend in perfectly with your plants, they can even climb and tumble over woven trellis tops.

Wattle Hurdles can also be used along a newly planted hedge line as the hurdles will protect the young plants from the wind and will gradually rot down over the years it takes the hedge to grow and take its place.

There are many different styles of hurdle fencing, from wattle hurdles with a more open appearance to the basket like close weave of gate hurdles.

Wattle hurdles are made by weaving willow withies, or coppiced hazel around upright poles. If they are woven tight enough hurdles have a particularly long life. Willow and hazel is usually coppiced around November time during the tree's dormant time. These trees are used for wattle hurdles as they are very supple for weaving.

Hurdles are started off in a mould that holds the upright unsplit poles in position. The split poles are then woven tightly around these poles using the hurdle maker's twist to finish them off.

Wattle hurdles offer a more attractive alternative to traditional fencing and screening.