FAQs

Do you ship outside the UK?

Yes. Although the online checkout only offers shipping to UK addresses at the moment I am very happy to ship to other countries. Please email me at hello@dormousewood.co.uk, including a list of the items you would like to purchase, plus your address and I will provide a quote.

Just be aware that if there are any local taxes to be paid you will be responsible for these. Also, there are a few countries, including Australia and New Zealand, which will not accept imports of plant materials etc.

Why don’t you use branded packing?

Much as it is tempting to buy in custom packaging and have it branded so it looks really beautiful, I feel it is more important to minimise impact on the environment.

I am committed to operating as sustainably as possible and aim to post items out in recycled packaging. This means that your parcel may look rather home made (actually sometimes very homemade, if the right size exterior box needs to be created from several old ones). It will also generally not be Dormouse Wood branded on the outside, though there will be some hand crafted branding on the inside.

If you find non recyclable materials within your package (e.g. inflated plastic to cushion items) you can be confident that this has been collected from previous packages and re-used.

If any packaging is bought in - which it sometimes going to be necessary given the variation of size and shape of Dormouse Wood products - it will be as environmentally friendly as possible. I am also committed to ongoing learning and and finding ways to improve in terms of how to create the most environmentally friendly packaging which also does a good job and arrives with the contents undamaged..

Kits will generally be packed in custom purchased cardboard boxes or woven baskets, within the exterior packaging - please do try to re-purpose these. Plus, if an item is a gift, just indicate this at the checkout stage and whilst keeping to the commitment to ‘Ship Green’, I will make your parcel to look extra special when opened.

In summary, I will try to recycle as much as possible, especially in terms of outer packaging and padding of products. Where I utilise new packaging I will aim to buy green and target items which can be re-used, so you don’t need to just throw it away.

I hope you support this approach. If you ever have any constructive feedback or suggestions on how Dormouse Wood packaging can be improved, please email hello@dormousewood.co.uk.

Can I be confident that what I buy from Dormouse Wood has been sourced sustainably?

Dormouse Wood is one of the few places from which you can purchase natural items online with confidence that they have been harvested responsibly and sustainably. Much of what is available on the web gives little detail about where is from, the process or volume of harvesting, or how the land it was taken from is managed. I am committed to sharing information about what we do and how we do it, including images, so you can trust the provenance of anything you buy.

Also, if you live in or the UK and order online from Dormouse Wood you are generally making a choice which reduces the distance items need to travel and therefore the carbon footprint, as Dormouse Wood is in the South of England. Many businesses offering some similar items are based overseas, for example in the Baltic region, Canada or the US.

If you ever have any questions please just ask.

Can I use your ideas, concepts, designs and themes (i.e. elements for which we own the copyright)?

I really want you to have fun with the projects, concepts and ideas I share. Please just bear in mind the copyright policy. You are free to use my projects, concepts and ideas etc. for your own non-commercial purposes. However please don't incorporate them into your company logo, or use them to create items or ideas for resale, unless it's for non-commercial purposes.

I give you permission to use the projects, ideas and concepts etc. from this website or any linked Dormouse Wood social media sites, to make items if they are (i) for personal or domestic use/non-commercial purposes; or (ii) for sale locally to raise funds for charity and/or community purposes. This permission does not extend to allow sale through commercial retail outlets, via the internet or via social media.

If you are unsure about any aspect, please email hello@dormousewood.co.uk before taking any action.

Why are some of the items you sell described as delicate or fragile?

Many of the items with lots of character e.g. mossy tree stumps, intricate ivy wood and sticks covered with lichen, only acquire these features over time. I think of them as the antiques of the woodland - the older they are, the more interest and character they gain but they also gradually become more fragile. Most of these items can be worked with if you want to use them as part of a project, you just need to take extra care.

However if your need is for wood that is strong and sturdy I offer that as well. For example I harvest hazel suitable for making walking sticks or weaving and sections of freshly cut ash, which also have a wide range of uses and a different type of natural beauty.

If you have a particular project in mind and need advice on what to purchase, please just get in touch and I will try to help.

Where is Dormouse Wood?

It is in the South Downs National Park, in Hampshire, UK. I have decided not to publish the exact location because I am unable to offer visits due to its access limitations.

Can I Visit Dormouse Wood?

I would love to open Dormouse Wood to visitors but sadly it is not practical. The wood is tucked away down a long and narrow unmade track which would not cope with a significant volume of traffic, plus I only have space to park a few vehicles. Finally, I do have a couple of neighbours and their peace would be disturbed if any significant number of people visited, especially if this happened regularly.

Does selling items from Dormouse Wood cause it any damage?

No. I only harvest or forage items when I am certain that doing so will have no negative impact on the wood. In fact I try to focus on items where the wood actually benefits from some being removed.

Because I am always careful, you may find that some items go out of stock for a while as I will never risk stripping Dormouse Wood of the resources it needs to stay healthy and beautiful.

Do you sell larger items such as entire tree branches or big pieces of tree trunk?

Yes I do have many larger items available but in general have decided not to list them on this website as shipping would be logistically quite complex and likely to be costly. However, if you are looking for something specific please get in touch and I will try to assist.

Examples of larger items include sections of cut tree trunk and long branches of both dead wood (lots of moss, lichen and general character) and wood which has been felled or coppiced e.g. substantial pieces of ash and hazel. We are also due to fell seven willows which are otherwise likely to fall into the pond over the winter and this could give me some nice hollow tree trunk sections available in the coming months. On occasion I will also have entire trees available for purchase, usually ash, conifer or hazel.

Do you offer Next Day delivery?

Not at the moment. This is because Dormouse Wood is currently run by just one person and it would not always be possible to get items selected, packed and posted on the day of order. I do always get orders out as fast as I can, my target being a maximum of two working days. However, if you need something urgently get in touch ASAP and I will try to meet your needs. If you order fresh ivy and would like to upgrade to a Next Day delivery service so that you receive it the day after it is cut, again please let me know.

Can you give me advice on using Dormouse Wood products?

Yes. If you have either a specific question about a product, like the idea of using items from Dormouse Wood but haven’t seen the right idea yet - or anything else, just email me at hello@dormousewood.co.uk. If it’s a quick answer I will email back, if it needs a chat I will suggest we arrange a call.

How do you preserve leaves and other perishable items?

I am experimenting with a number of options. So far I have had the greatest success by preserving in a solution of glycerine and water (2 parts water to 1 part glycerine). I use food grade glycerine and leave the items I want to preserve in the solution from just 24 hours, up to several weeks. I have had very constant and positive results with moss and lichen and everything from complete disasters to really nice outcomes with other items. For example, Hornbeam, Field Maple and Hazel leaves seem to do well, but more delicate or more sturdy greenery is less consistent. I really want to get a good outcome when preserving Ivy as that would be very helpful in many designs but so far I am not totally happy. It’s a work in progress. In general preserving in glycerine tends to give green items a bronzy tint. Certainly you lose the bright greens. Some people add food colouring and I may try this but so far I rather like the colours I am seeing.

I have also tried pressing and microwaving but was left underwhelmed to date.

I am continuing tests but will obviously be a bit limited until the spring (it is currently mid November). I hope to build up an extensive and varied stock of preserved items during 2020. Look out for an update in the Blog next spring, when I can share more results.

Are you a charity?

No. I have set up the Dormouse Wood website and business with the principal aim of earning money to restore and manage Dormouse Wood. This is particularly important now that I know how serious the impact of Ash Die back disease is likely to be on the wood if I don’t actively manage it. Also I take the most gentle approach to all work in the woodland so its delicate infrastructure is safeguarded. As you would imagine, this makes everything more expensive, since work is done with minimal mechanisation and I focus on the quality of woodland operations rather than speed. However, in terms of the business structure I decided to keep things simple, so Dormouse Wood is not a charity.

Do your dogs chase chase the wildlife?

No. The dogs have been trained not to chase or attack the wildlife, including the deer and the ducks. This is something I work hard on, to ensure that we can all enjoy Dormouse Wood in peace. I probably see less wildlife when I visit because I generally have the dogs with me but that is a trade off relating to my personal enjoyment of the wood and has no negative impact on the woodland or its creatures.