Ruchill’s Willow - a wishing place and a selfie spot

Glasgow Community Food Network are taking some steps with volunteer groups in Ruchill to set up vegetable growing spaces and more diverse planting to expand the ways the community in the area can use the old golf course.

Most of the work so far has taken place near the community hall on Brassey Street, and in March I helped them plant two living willow structures - a big curved horseshoe with a gate, which we turned into a wishing place, and a little arbour for sitting under and taking selfies in nature.

The willow horseshoe shape has a gate in the top, so you can step through, and give your wishes to the willow. We added logs so you can have a seat and contemplate how your wishes might grow.

The view of the horseshoe from the top of the hill but the community hall at Brassey Street.

Above are some images of how we planted the willow in Ruchill and how we tied it to weave the curved fence. All the willow we planted was supplied by https://www.deesidewillow.com/ and we were very happy to receive a bespoke fedge kit that suited our budget and was generous enough to create the structures that the land wanted us to plant - these shapes weren’t all in the original plan - the horseshoe appeared to us on the day.

There are a couple flat areas under the community hall are the original golf tees, and this is where the vegetable growing boxes are installed. We’d planned to plant a little seated arbour on the edge of the lower tee, with a view out over the original first hole of the old golf course.

It worked out well, and we realised quickly it’s a great spot for resting after planting, taking in the view and for taking selfies :)

Sitting in the selfie spot arbour after a long day of planting.

I love planting living willow structures, and am happy to talk to anyone interested in learning how to do it, or about planting a structure in your location.

Check out the living willow classroom we planted in Carmunnock Primary School grounds and be in touch with me, Sophie, at hello@glasgowforestschool.co.uk.