Avid gardeners will have seen Alan Titchmarsh and other green-fingered TV experts extol the virtues of living willow.

Now Sussex has its own resources in West Hoathly, West Sussex.

A new business, Sussex Willows, is growing willows for use in designing and planting living willow structures, from fedges (living fences) and arbours to arches, tunnels and even wigwams.

Douglas Fyers, who founded Sussex Willows, came across living willows by accident when he moved to Forest Row 18 months ago.

He said: "The garden needed some screens and we thought we'd give fedges a go. The more I learnt about living willows, the more I thought it was the right option.

"I'm a keen bird watcher so I planted a willow fedge rather than a fence. It's fast growing, the catkins attract bees and other insects in early spring and the birds follow. A living willow structure helps recreate the green corridors they need."

It was such a success he decided to make a business out of designing and planting living willow structures.

In September, he rented three acres of land from a farmer friend in West Hoathly and planted 700 cuttings of various varieties, some of which can be used for fedges and others more suited to weaving.

Mr Fyers said the venture had been helped by publicity from the likes of Alan Titchmarsh but that the plant's features helped it to sell itself.

He said: "It's such a versatile plant. You have a beautiful garden feature and can also use it as a support for sweet peas, trailing nasturtiums - even runner beans.

"Willow flourishes in almost any soil, replaces nutrients, absorbs pollution and copes with the winds we get in Sussex."

Willows planted in December can be up to 10ft tall by the following October.

Mr Fyers "It's tremendous to see these plants growing."

For more details, visit www.sussexwillows.co.uk