Calke Abbey, Derbyshire

Great to be invited to collaborate with the National Trust to work on providing a some natural fencing in the vegetable gardens on this beautiful estate. Both requirements were to provide something not too intrusive but would fit in with the surroundings. So for the vegetable beds it was cleft chestnut fencing only 18” high. so a suitable height to keep people away but convenient enough for the gardeners to be able to step over when needed to access the vegetable beds. Sweet Chestnut is a naturally durable timber and splits/cleaves easily. So it was several long weeks prepping the timber using traditional tools-a Froe and cleaving break to split the timber into shingles, very similar to the beautiful wooden shingles you get on roofs sometimes.

And to protect the public from a rather steep slope at the entrance to one of Calke’s amazing tunnels (where the boilers were stoked to heat the greenhouses) I wove a continuous hazel hurdle on site. So popped the uprights in the ground along the line laid out and began to weave. A few days to finish the weave and the final bit was to install some more Sweet Chestnut posts to wire the fence to to ensure its longevity and strength. Whilst the Chestnut fencing doesn’t need treating it’s always advisable to treat both Hazel and Willow hurdles with linseed oil and turps every year. This ensures the maximum lifespan for the hurdle.

A greenhouse with large glass panels and a garden with raised beds and young plants, surrounded by a wooden fence, on a sunny day with trees in the background.

A greenhouse with large glass panels and a garden with raised beds and young plants, surrounded by a wooden fence, on a sunny day with trees in the background.

Historical woven wooden fence surrounding a grassy area with trees and a brick wall in the background.

Historical woven wooden fence surrounding a grassy area with trees and a brick wall in the background.

A greenhouse with a glass roof and walls in a garden, surrounded by trees and a clear blue sky.

A greenhouse with a glass roof and walls in a garden, surrounded by trees and a clear blue sky.

A scarecrow dressed in a suit, tie, and straw hat stands in a garden with rows of plants, in front of a glass greenhouse and trees.

A scarecrow dressed in a suit, tie, and straw hat stands in a garden with rows of plants, in front of a glass greenhouse and trees.

A close-up view of a rustic wooden fence running along a grassy area near a brick building on a sunny day.

A close-up view of a rustic wooden fence running along a grassy area near a brick building on a sunny day.

A garden with young plants growing in soil, fenced with a small wooden fence, next to trees with budding leaves, under a blue sky with some clouds.

A garden with young plants growing in soil, fenced with a small wooden fence, next to trees with budding leaves, under a blue sky with some clouds.

A garden with a wooden fence, soil beds with plants, a greenhouse, a scarecrow, and tall trees under a clear blue sky.

A garden with a wooden fence, soil beds with plants, a greenhouse, a scarecrow, and tall trees under a clear blue sky.

Brick building with a sloped roof surrounded by a grassy area and a woven wooden fence, with a cloudy blue sky overhead.

Brick building with a sloped roof surrounded by a grassy area and a woven wooden fence, with a cloudy blue sky overhead.

Garden with young plants, a greenhouse, trees, and a dirt pathway in a sunny outdoor setting.

Garden with young plants, a greenhouse, trees, and a dirt pathway in a sunny outdoor setting.