Lorraine Ellery Matthews

Hedges & Hurdles Country Skills & Crafts deliver personable, varied, and interesting workshops and training courses, outdoor experiences, and crafts utilising natural, sustainable materials, many of which have been coppiced or sourced locally in the Surrey Hills.

I am a self-taught Willow Artist who enjoys bringing people together to teach them the weaving techniques used for creating home and garden decorations, sculptures, and practical pieces such as Baskets, Obelisk, Cloche, and Trellis. I love working with Willow, and I am enjoying my Willow journey, continually developing my skills and knowledge through practice, learning from others, reading, and undertaking courses. In 2025, I planted my first Willow bed, a total of 22 varieties of basket willow,.

My husband and business partner Paul is an experienced, award-winning Hedgelayer and also an experienced horticulturist. Paul runs green woodworking, Wattle Hurdle making using both Hazel and Willow and various other woodland courses throughout the year.

• Basketry
• Contemporary
• Garden Structures
• Hedgerow
• Living Willow
• Traditional
• Willow (Basketry)
• Willow Sculpture