It is not always easy in the depths of winter to motivate oneself, get outside and complete those all important winter gardening tasks, but I find that visualising the end product, several years down the line, helps me tremendously! Some tasks may wait but others, such as planting a new hedge, filling gaps in an old one, or making an existing hedge more wildlife friendly, really are jobs that needs to be done now if they are to be done well.
Hedges are wonderful wildlife habitats. Imagine your new hedge in years to come, providing thick shelter for wildlife amongst some of our most attractive native shrubs, glowing with vibrant colour in the autumn. Butter-yellow field maple, crimson dogwood, bright red hips and haws and sloes of the deepest purple could be adorning your new hedge in a very short time. In springtime the blossom of sloe and hawthorn will provide nectar and pollen for bumblebees or butterflies, and the fluffy flowers of the goat or pussy willow will be awash with rich pollen. Spring is when a hedge comes into its own as a nesting place for birds. Several of our native shrubs and climbers are prickly and blackbirds, song thrushes, chaffinches and greenfinches make good use of this natural protection. A nest surrounded by blackthorn or hawthorn stems and wild roses is likely to be a safe place to bring up a family. And plentiful food is right on the doorstep in the form of the tiny caterpillars and other insects that nestlings need. These insects are also an important source of food for bats, hedgehogs, shrews and mice. Hedges really are fantastic habitats all year round!
dogwood and rosehips
Those native shrubs mentioned together with many others provide the backbone for a good hedge, but this habitat is a great deal more complex than a simple row of bushes. Once your shrubs are established in two or three years time, you will be able to enhance them by planting climbers such as honeysuckle, blackberry, tufted vetch and old man’s beard to weave their way through, or primroses and foxgloves can be planted underneath. The moist conditions that build up beneath a hedge over the years, as leaves drop to the ground and enrich the soil, will encourage a huge range of invertebrates to attract mammals, amphibians and birds. A good garden hedge can have many species of shrubs, flowers and grasses in even a short length, and lots of creatures are associated with this very specialised habitat.
So where do we start? Our first imperative is to find a supplier of bare rooted native shrubs, preferably locally grown. If your shrubs are of a local provenance, there is a better chance that local invertebrates will find them attractive and be naturally adapted to them, plus these plants will be happy in your soil and climatic conditions. If local isn’t an option, ask around to see if friends have used a supplier they are happy with. In some areas local councils or other organisations will advise and may even fund grant schemes whereby plants are available free of charge, so do a little homework before you buy.
planting bare rooted shrubs
Why is it important to use bare rooted shrubs? Plants bought in this way establish quickly in their new homes, whereas those in pots are not only much more expensive, but are less likely to quickly get their roots properly into the soil. Once purchased, bare rooted hedge plants must either be planted immediately, or heeled into the ground and looked after well until you are ready to plant them. Their roots must be covered at all times and not allowed to dry out. Potted shrubs may be used, but often their smaller bare rooted cousins grow faster and overtake them, establishing your hedge in a far shorter time. When you have decided exactly on the line of your hedge (and if it is to be on a boundary, make sure that you know exactly where that is) your next task is to decide on a single or double row of plants. The thicker the hedge the better from all viewpoints – wildlife attracting potential, shelter and screening – but bare in mind that a double row of shrubs, well maintained, can produce a hedge up to 2m or more in width, which in a small garden could be a sizeable amount. In areas with limited space, a single row is adequate and of course all these native shrubs can be well clipped if necessary, keeping them tight and thick. Normal spacing is usually one every 50 cms, and in a double row these would be staggered to give a closely planted screen.
Many suppliers will put together a ‘hedge pack’ for you, the bulk of which would be hawthorn and blackthorn – the backbone of your hedge – plus a sprinkling of others such as wayfaring tree, guelder rose, spindle, field maple, hazel, dogwood, buckthorn, goat willow or holly. If you have especially difficult soil, either very wet or very dry, mention this to your supplier who will adjust your species accordingly. Guelder rose for instance, flags on a dry soil but flourishes in heavy clay. Planting can be done at any time until early March but the winter months are definitely the best time, unless the ground is frozen or covered with snow. Either prepare a trench, or dig individual holes for each plant, add organic compost and ensure the plant is firmed in well. Staking is up to your personal preferences, but I never stake, allowing these small shrubs to establish strong root systems without help. Rabbit guards are another matter! If rabbits (or deer) abound in your area, protect your new hedge with plastic spiral guards or tubes – these also have the advantage of creating a little greenhouse micro-climate inside, encouraging growth early in the year. Be prepared to water your hedge through its first year if the weather is dry and mulch if you can.
laid hedge in first spring
The future management of your hedge is also something to consider. Clipping by hand late in the winter when berries have been devoured is an easy yearly task. However, you may like to try your hand at hedge laying, a traditional way of hedge management enjoying a revival now. It prolongs the life of a hedge, making it strong, thick and stock-proof at the base. The stems are cut near to the ground, but not completely severed. They are then bent over at an angle of 45 degrees or less, depending on the regional style, and tied down with stakes made from hazel. The top of the hedge is ‘feathered’ or woven with willow or hazel stems to finish off a sturdy and attractive feature that some would call a work of art. One real advantage of this traditional craft is that the rich larder of berries and fruits is always preserved, not cut off and wasted, so thrushes like redwings and fieldfares, and small mammals can still find food when weather conditions are at their most harsh. A newly planted hedge is usually ready to be laid after about 7 years of growth – plenty of time to learn!! Hedges matter. They are the arteries of our countryside and towns providing corridors whereby wildlife can move in safety from one area to another, find shelter and food and often a breeding place too. Hedges are still being removed and abused in our countryside, but new hedges are being planted or revived by traditional management. We can help with that revival and renewal by planting native now.
