A willow wigwam covered in delicately scented climbing sweet peas always looks stunning in a mid-summer garden. Christmas is the ideal time to give a wigwam as a gift, and any gardener will appreciate this perfect timing as they make their preparations for what to plant, and where, for the following year. Buy your hazel rods and willow stems from sustainable sources.

Materials Needed:

• 1 flowerpot or bucket (the size depends on how large you want the wigwam to be; a medium-sized flowerpot is ideal).
• 5 or so straight hazel rods, a maximum of 7-8' long, each with a diagonal cut at the base
• garden twine

• 10 or so long lengths of willow, each about 1/2" thick
• garden shears

Step 1

Turn the flowerpot upside down and gently push the base of each hazel rod into the grass around the pot. Space out the rods evenly in a circle. Tip: As an alternative, you can also use a large, earth-filled flowerpot or bucket and push the hazel rods in around the edge of the inside rim.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - A Greener Christmas © 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Step 2

Gather the rods at the top and bind them together temporarily with twine. Trim the tops of the rods with shears to give them a uniform height.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - A Greener Christmas © 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Step 3

Weave the willow around the rods pulling each stem up and round as you weave it in and out. Weave 3 or 4 willow sections up the frame.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - A Greener Christmas © 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited