Jane Welsh is a great favourite of Toby’s Garden Festival and regularly demonstrates at Powderham Castle.

She has been basket making for 20 years and has been working professionally and running courses for the last 12 years. She cares ardently about protecting the knowledge of our traditional rural crafts that are so much a part of our heritage.

” I like to get people enthused to work with willow and rush, these most versatile, sustainable materials”, says Jane.

Her background is in arts and crafts. Having studied art, design and furniture making, she worked in traditional timber framing and dabbled in stone masonry and stained glass before becaming hooked on basket making.  Working in different coloured willow, Jane creates beautiful baskets which have many practical uses in home and garden. 

This year she will be demonstrating basket making but also creating willow plant obelisks and supports for the garden and have plant supports for sale. . 

“Everyone is welcome to try and make their own with a little guidance from me!” 

Find Jane in the Heritage Wood Crafts Zone near the castle lake.