How to Build a Hazel Hurdle Fence Panel

Hazel hurdle panels are one of the most beautiful and practical things you can make for your garden. Used for centuries as portable sheep fencing, they've found a new life as rustic garden screens, raised bed edging, compost bin walls, and decorative borders. Best of all, you don't need any special skills — just fresh hazel, a bit of patience, and this guide.

What Is a Hazel Hurdle?

A hurdle is a woven panel made from hazel rods woven between upright stakes. Traditional hurdles were made to be portable — shepherds would carry them out to fold sheep on fresh pasture. In the garden, they're used as fixed or moveable screens, edging, and fencing. A well-made hurdle will last 5–10 years outdoors.

What You'll Need

For a standard 1m wide x 1m tall hurdle panel:

• Upright stakes: 5–7 sturdy hazel poles, at least 25mm diameter. Our 120cm 25mm hazel poles are ideal — you'll push them 20–30cm into the ground, leaving 90-100cm above.
• Weaving rods: Thin, flexible hazel rods, 12mm or less in diameter. Our 120cm 12mm hazel rods give you plenty of length for weaving across the full width.
• A mallet for driving stakes into the ground
• Secateurs for trimming ends
• Garden twine to secure the top row if needed

Our hazel hurdle kit includes everything you need to build one 1m wide x 30cm hurdle, ideal for beginners cut and ready to go.

Step-by-Step: Building Your Hurdle

Step 1: Set Your Uprights

Mark out a straight line on the ground for your hurdle. Push or mallet your upright stakes into the ground at equal intervals — around 20–30cm apart for a tight, solid panel. Use an odd number of stakes (5 or 7) so the weave naturally alternates without you having to think about it. Make sure all stakes are the same height above ground.

Tip: If the ground is hard, use a metal bar or spike to make a pilot hole first.

Step 2: Soak Your Weaving Rods

If your hazel rods have dried out at all, soak them in a trough or bath of water for 1–2 hours before weaving. Fresh-cut rods from our Coppiced Hazel range are usually pliable enough to use straight away.

Step 3: Start Weaving

Take your first weaving rod and start at one end of the row of stakes. Weave it over the first stake, under the second, over the third — and so on to the end. Push it down to ground level. Take your second rod and reverse the pattern: under the first, over the second, under the third. Push it down tight against the first rod.

Continue alternating rods, packing each one down firmly as you go. The tighter you pack the weave, the stronger and more wind-resistant the finished panel.

Step 4: Join New Rods

When a rod runs out, tuck the end behind a stake. Start the next rod overlapping the previous one by at least one stake. Stagger your joins across the panel so they don't all fall in the same place — this keeps the weave even and strong.

Step 5: Finish the Top

Weave the final few rods tightly and trim any protruding ends flush with the outer stakes using secateurs. For extra security, you can tie the top row to the stakes with garden twine, though a tight weave usually holds itself.

Step 6: Trim the Stakes

If your upright stakes protrude above the weave, trim them to a consistent height with loppers or a saw. A slight point on each stake top helps shed rainwater and extends the life of the wood.

Using Your Hurdle in the Garden

• Garden screen: Build a series of panels between taller posts to create a rustic screen or windbreak around a seating area or vegetable plot.
• Raised bed edging: Low hurdle panels (30cm) make beautiful edging for raised beds and borders, keeping mulch in and giving a traditional kitchen garden look.
• Compost bin: Four hurdle panels wired together at the corners make an excellent open compost bin that allows airflow while keeping the heap contained.
• Temporary fencing: Hurdles are portable — pull the stakes out and move the panel wherever it's needed.

How Long Will It Last?

A well-made hazel hurdle used as garden edging or a screen will typically last 5–10 years. Panels in contact with wet soil at the base will degrade faster — you can extend their life by treating the base of the stakes with a natural wood preservative before installation, or by resting the panel on a gravel board rather than directly on soil.

Get Started

The easiest way to try hurdle-making is with our hazel hurdle kit — everything you need for one panel, freshly cut and ready to weave. Or browse our full Coppiced Hazel collection to source your own rods and stakes. Any questions about quantities or sizes for your project, just get in touch.