Anyone who thinks of pollard willows will immediately picture a romantic landscape. Indeed, there are still many places to be found that meet this requirement. But the landscape is also changing strongly, and in particular the agricultural landscape with long-lasting beautiful façades of farms surrounded by adapted garden architecture is slowly disappearing. The pollard willow was and is characteristic in that landscape in many areas.
Pollard willow tree with typical shape
A pollard willow belongs to a willow species that lends itself to being pollinated. The pollination then consists of pruning away branches and twigs that grow in the top of the willow trunk. This creates the typical shape of the bun. Old pollard willows in particular often have mysterious-looking models. Sometimes the trunks are freakishly split and could thus serve as the backdrop for a fairy tale with gnomes. Just a little bit of imagination and the fairies fly around.
Interest in griendhout again
A variant of the pollard willow is the willow that is already topped about twenty five centimeters above the ground. Usually these willows are planted in groups in so-called pilot whales. Pilot whales are wet fields. But the exploitation of pilot whales ceased in the second half of the twentieth century because there was no longer a demand for pilot whales. Due to the possibility of using pilot whale wood as biofuel, interest in pilot whale wood has returned and the cultivation of these types of trees has increased again.
Twigs no longer necessary for basketry
A pollard willow is actually not purely natural. After all, the bun is only created when people interfere with the willow and work it with pruning tools. But that pruning is not only done for aesthetic reasons. The pruned twigs are very suitable for use in basketry. It is true that basket making is a dying profession because many products that were manually made by a craftsman such as a basket maker are now machine-produced from plastic materials.
Thick twigs for other purposes
Sometimes the twigs are not pruned until after about five years, making them thicker and firmer and suitable for other specific purposes, such as for the handles of tools. Thin twigs can easily be cut with pruning shears. For thicker, heavier loppers or pruning saws should be used. Thick branches can easily tear if pruned incorrectly. This can be prevented by first cutting or sawing the branch at a distance from the trunk and then the stump.
Pollard willows fall out of favor with changing landscape
Much has changed since the beginning of agriculture. Nowadays farmers are forced to take efficiency and production as a starting point. That also changes the landscape. While architects used to be able to enjoy themselves on beautiful farms, nowadays they have to develop structures that can be erected quickly and as cheaply as possible. Unfortunately, the once famous long façade farms have mostly disappeared after overdue maintenance or are now largely hidden from view by long façade buildings that look more like factory halls. You can guess who is mainly to blame for this. After all, as consumers we do not want to pay too much for a tasty piece of meat. Production is therefore the keyword of the modern farmer. Not one long gable barn, not two but no less than three, and then tens of meters long.
Operations dependent on consumer
Unfortunately, there is also no time, money and space for adapted landscaping and there is still a clear view of sometimes colossal silos, with about five examples per location being no exception. But again, it is the consumer who forces farmers to conduct this type of business and it will therefore also depend on the consumer whether this continues for years.