One willow rod’s journey to become so much more…

Living Bench photo, in early Fall 2026 — Growing from a Salix fragilis ‘Natural Red’ tree

My admiration of Salix fragilis ‘Natural Red’ started six years ago, when I started propagating the original 70 cuttings I purchased from Dunbar Gardens. I never imagined how gratifying the results of working with willow could be!

In those early years, I was mostly focused on growing more willow. But I also couldn’t resist playing with those first young rods. I gathered a few and made a rather haphazard trellis, simply to experience their flexibility in a loose design. No plan, just play.

It turned out that one lone ‘Natural Red’ rod, from the trellis, took root by spring — so, I decided to let it be. It was in a great spot to see what would happen if I allowed it to grow into a tree.

By its second summer, it was already giving us beautiful and much-appreciated speckled shade in front of our greenhouse. I trusted my instincts when selecting which branches to prune and which to encourage. One low-growing branch caught my attention. It looked promising, so I decided to keep it.

Over the next three years, the tree grew taller than the greenhouse. And that promising low branch? With a little guidance, it began to take shape as — a living bench.

This year, I added dried willow, interweaving it into the living structure to give the bench more strength and stability. By next year, I believe it will be strong enough for me to sit on—with room for a grandchild or two!

Another marvel from this Mother Tree, besides giving us a living bench, was that she produced five offspring trees through a layering process.

That’s what I appreciate most about growing willow. You can start with a handful of cuttings and have beautiful material to nurture your create. Take a few rods, experiment, and let your imagination take over.

The possibilities seem endless when you plant willow!

The progression of the Living Bench at 4 years of growth