Plant a hedge, plant interest

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

Some of you may remember that I put in a mixed hedge last winter and already it is paying dividends! I was looking at a blackthorn bush (I say bush, but in reality it is still tiny) this morning and found five brown hairstreak butterfly eggs on it.

I remember having this conversation with you about putting blackthorn in your hedge Suzie. I thought it was for making Sloe Gin & you pointed out that it was in hope of encouraging Brown hairstreaks. 5 eggs fingers crossed for 5 butterflies, a good start already. Excellent news!!

[Baggins]

My mixed hawthorn/blackkthorn hedge has taken five years + to become establsihed but it's still looking a bit thin this autumn. A few garden small birds have found a safe haven out of reach of the magpies and crows. There are dormice in the hedgerows nearby but none in my garden.
Does anyone have experience of hedge laying? Will it increase the diversity of habitats?
Peter

[Hedge Witch]

No experience (except a cack-handed attempt as a child), but my opinion is that it really promotes dense growth. I presume it reduces apical dominance or something? I'm sure someone will know.

[Blackdogjnr]

I spent the weekend removing the atrocious 'architectural' plants from my garden borders... the lass who lived here before us didn't have a clue!

I've dug it all over and made room for the very same native species as mentioned above...
I'm not too fussed about it becoming a hedge as I have a evergreen hedge around the garden anyway, but I'm thinking some hedging plants might create a stronger windbreak.

We back onto fields so that wind really whips across at our house!
I managed to find a nice and very reasonably priced wildlife hedge mix with 25 plants for £30.

Have ordered in a few cotoneaster and firethorn bushes too to go with the dogrose, hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn and elder.
Hoping they will all arrive by next weekend and I can get digging again ... feels so good in the autumn air!

I also love butterflies so will be keeping my eyes peeled in the future for eggses!

[coasty]

The front hedge along our front garden is the original lane hedge from the 1930s In one short section it has Crab Apple , Blackthorn, Holly, Elder, Hawthorn and the remains of an ash tree,,, The wildlife love it...

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

Hi Susie - SUCCESS! Well done. I was going to ask how you knew what they were, but I think that they are distinctive looking? There were no pictures of them in the WAB Gallery though (not that I could find).

Can you get a photo?

I have some photos now but I can't cope with resizing them for the Gallery here, it is too complicated for me. I will pm one of them to you though if you would like to see what they look like.

Susie

[Mr Mag00]

yes please susie,
i could look on the bushes here must be some somewhere

[Hedge Witch]

Originally Posted by Susie

I have some photos now but I can't cope with resizing them for the Gallery here, it is too complicated for me. I will pm one of them to you though if you would like to see what they look like.

Susie

Sorry Susie - I replied by PM before I read that it was too complicated

Your little eggs are getting quite a fan club

[nightshade]

Originally Posted by Baggins

My mixed hawthorn/blackkthorn hedge has taken five years + to become establsihed but it's still looking a bit thin this autumn. A few garden small birds have found a safe haven out of reach of the magpies and crows. There are dormice in the hedgerows nearby but none in my garden.
Does anyone have experience of hedge laying? Will it increase the diversity of habitats?
Peter

There are some good online videos on hedge laying. Would it be better to, perhaps, add some planting to thicken it up? I will be pruning mine soon to encourage more luxuriant growth