In The Hedgerow . . .
A few weeks ago, I spent an hour or so identifying indigenous plants in the ancient native hedge running along the border of the Tyning and Freshford Lane. I needed to ascertain what the hedge contained before ordering plants for the new native hedge on the eastern edge of the Tyning, which is part of the Friends of Freshford’s biodiversity proposal and will be planted later in the autumn.
I’d volunteered to lead the hedging project for Friends of Freshford due to my experience when moving to Freshford 17 years ago. The previous owners had not put in a mixed native hedge recommended by the Council, the specifications for which were very precise: 40% hawthorn; 30% field maple; 20% hazel; 5% guelder rose and 5% holly.
Food from the hedgerow: Hawthorn berries
Following these guidelines, my husband, David, initially planted the 200 metres of hedging required to demarcate the house from the field attached to it. On seeing the diverse habitat provided by the hedge, we decided to include a native hedge in the garden too and extend the existing hedge bordering the field. In total, we’ve planted over 400 metres of native hedging which has provided shelter and sustenance for invertebrates, like moth caterpillars and the hawthorn shield bug, and for mammals and birds such as hedgehogs, thrushes, nuthatches and woodpeckers.
The bright pink Spindle berry
When surveying the native hedge along Freshford Lane it was exciting to discover that it contained many more species than those on the list provided by the Council all those years ago. I found blackthorn, purging buckthorn and dog rose, and most thrilling of all was the discovery of spindle, a plant with a bright pink berry described by the Woodland Trust as ‘an ancient-woodland indicator. If you spot it while you're out exploring, it could be a sign you're standing in a rare and special habitat’, thus confirming that the native hedge along Freshford Lane was indeed as ancient as I’d been told. Spindle alone supports many insects including the caterpillars of the spindle ermine moth, as well as hoverflies and ladybirds, all of which help to feed our native birds. Needless to say, Friends of Freshford included spindle in its order for the new native hedge on the Tyning.
As this article has demonstrated, mixed native hedges are an ecologically important part of our natural environment providing a diverse habitat for a vast array of wildlife. So, if you are contemplating fencing your garden, why not plant a native hedge instead? Maintenance is not as time consuming as you’d think, needing only one cut per year between September and March. Or, if you are feeling adventurous, perhaps try a spot of hedge-laying too?
After the annual cut: the native hedge in my garden
Article by Jonelle Daniels
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