Planting a Native British Hedgerow

Blackthorn

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Wildlife garden Wildflower lawn, Wildlife pond, Sustainable gardening.

Hedging
Traditional native British hedgerow
Hedge planting service in Bristol and Weston super mare
We cover most areas of Southern England if hedge planting is part of a landscaping project or garden planting scheme

Guide to species and planting

Secure, (Try climbing through Blackthorn, the neighbourhood nasties wont !!)
long lasting and sustainable alternative to Panel fencing

Hedgerows are green, eco friendly and a sustainable way of marking your garden and property boundary. A natural British hedgerow acts as a useful corridors for butterflies and moths, the bulkier and denser a hedge becomes, the more secure it becomes as well as providing cover and food for nesting birds. Hedges provide a valuable source of food and shelter for wildlife It is always important to let them flower and bear fruit. Older hedgerows contain several different species like Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Dog rose and are back in fashion as secure and attractive alternatives to panel fencing around our garden.

Planting native British Hedging
Native British hedgerow are made up of a mix of Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Crab apple, Guelder rose, Dog rose, Wild privet, Honey suckle, Hazel, Field maple and Holly and makes a secure and attractive hedge.

Guide to hedgerow mix
Blackthorn/Hawthorn 50% -Hazel/Field maple/Holly 35% -Crab apple/Guilder rose/Dog rose/wild Privet/Honey suckle 15%. In a large garden Trees could include Ash, English oak and Sessile oak. AVOID ELDER

Crab apple is a small, deciduous tree with thorns and pink buds and blossom in March, takes about 5 years to flower and fruit. Grows to about 10 ft over 10 years. likes sheltered well drained sites
Try making Crab apple Jelly from the fruit. Crab Apple can help skin to heal. The rotting fruit attracts the Red Admiral.

Blackthorn is a very thorny tree,with lots of white flowers in spring turning into dark blue berries in August. It grows to about 10 feet in 10 years. A tonic helping bowel problems can be made from the flowers and fruit and sloe syrup helps rheumatism,the berries are used to make Sloe gin. Walking sticks are still crafted from the wood. Blackthorn will grow in shady,open and wet conditions and provides food and shelter for birds, butterflies and many other wildlife.Try climbing through Blackthorn, the neighbourhood nasties wont !!

Hawthorn native hedging is very similar to blackthorn with scented white flowers in spring, followed by red berries it grows a bit faster to about 10 feet in 8 years. Some trees have lived to 400 years old Hawthorn can help circulation and heart problems. and like Blackthorn will grow in shady,open and wet conditions and provides food and shelter for birds, butterflies and many other wildlife.

Hazel
is an attractive tree, producing hazelnuts in Autumn and again grows about a foot a year so works well in a traditional hedgerow and adds to the attraction with its catkins. Walking sticks, shepherd crooks and baskets are still made from Hazel. Its important to the dormouse and other wildlife and the nuts make a nice treat at Christmas.

Field maple
produces yellow-green flowers in Spring followed by "helicopter" seeds and makes a interesting and attractive addition to the hedgerow growing at about the same rate as Hawthorn. Ok in exposed, windy but well drained sites . Its good for wildlife, including the following moths - Winter, Maple Pug, Mocha.

Hedge planting, Hedge trimming and pruning contact

Choosing bare root or larger pot grown hedging plants.
The mixture of Native hedging plants I have suggested can be planted quite cheaply, from late autumn to early spring, using bare-root saplings, For instant hedging, pot grown, hedging plants are available and can be planted at almost anytime throughout the year.

Preparing the ground.
Remove any weeds and large stones,there is no need to remove small stones, these help drainage, dig the area over and at the same time dig in some organic matter from your compost heap.

Planting your new hedge.
To form a quick growing hedge, plant in a staggered double row about 18" apart, planting to close will slow down the rate of growth, you can always fill in any gaps once the hedge starts to establish. Water well in and give your new hedge a thick mulch to reduce the need for to much weeding whilst the plants are setting root .

Wildlife and a Garden feature.

As well as planting a native hedge as habitat for wildlife including birds nesting and feeding on the berries and the insects, butterflies and moths in the evening, small mammals sheltering in the base of the hedge. The hedge will be a attractive and interesting garden feature for years to come with its varied colours of foliage and blossom, different textures and shapes, A native hedge that includes Blackthorn and Hawthorne will become impenetrable keeping out intruders too.
To add all year round colour you can include yew, holly and common beech to the hedgerow mix and don't forget to plant Honeysuckle to weave its colour and scent through the hedge.

Its that easy to help restore the balance and at the same time create a secure, interesting and attractive boundary around your garden and home.

And remember the neighbourhood nasties wont want to climb through Blackthorn,!!

If you want to keep your garden secure whilst the hedge is growing, plant the hedging plants on the sunny side of any existing fence panels. Remove the old fence when the hedgerow is established.

Why is the Traditional native hedgerow in danger of disappearing

Landowners and factory farmers are the main culprits, pulling up and destroying the hedgerows that divided our British countryside into the attractive patchwork of greens, browns and gold, creating instead, the massive fields with swathes of the

yellow Rape seed we see through our car windows from the motorway. lucrative E.U. subsidies are not paid to grow traditional British hedgerows, but very lucrative E.U subsidies are paid to landowners and factory farmers who rip up our hedges and grow Rape seed.
To get the absolute maximum crop followed by the euro in the bank, the factory farmer ploughs right up to the base of the hedgerow to create maximum growing area and uses herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers on the fields of Rape seed, causes damage to the remaining hedges. The hedge dies of or becomes to weak to act as a boundary and is then replaced with wooden or wire fences.

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