Yew Vase

In the autumn of 2025 I visited a village just south of Maidstone to see some yew. A neighbour’s garden fire several years earlier had mortally damaged a long-established yew tree, which had been felled around five years before.

While there were some substantial pieces of wood, they had been open to the elements and were badly cracked. I bought a few pieces in the hope of getting something interesting.

The branches almost looked like arms, with the wood twisting like muscles, which made it very challenging to get started. But gradually the dimensions of the eventual piece became clear, and a vase it became.

At over 14 inches tall, it’s a very substantial piece. The badly cracked sapwood meant there are only a couple of sections still visible, but they contrast the rich orange heartwood beautifully. The complex grain patterns of yew are on full display — swirling, flowing lines that tell the story of a tree that grew for decades.

The vase is finished with melamine lacquer, which brings out the depth and warmth of the yew’s natural colour.