Leyland Cypress Vase

A bit of a mystery, this one. My wife bought me the blank as a gift at the beginning of the year, labelled as yew. It turned out to be something else entirely.

The blank sat in my workshop for a few months, then out in the garden through the various heatwaves of summer 2026. Once the temperature dropped back to bearable levels, I picked it up in August to turn it.

The first clue that something wasn’t quite right was the weight. It felt significantly lighter than I remembered. Then, as I started turning, the colour of the sapwood and heartwood was clearly not yew.

Working out what it actually was became quite a journey of discovery. In the end, Leyland cypress (Leylandii) was the most likely candidate, the fast-growing conifer better known in Britain as a hedge than as a turning wood. I suspect it wouldn’t have been bought had we known, but it has turned into a really pretty piece, and I’d certainly try the wood again.

It was hard work to finish, though. Getting a smooth result around the opening of the vase took a lot of effort.

This was also my first hollow vessel, where the inside opens out wider than the rim. You can’t see where the tool is cutting, so it takes quite a bit of practice to get a feel for the right tool position.

Finished with melamine lacquer. It stands 17cm tall, around 12.5cm wide at the base and 7.5cm across the spout.