In Praise of Hedges

The hedges in this garden are getting their final cut of the year. From the dwarf box hedges of the knot garden to the tall hedges that enclose the front and side of the garden. Clipping hedges now mean they look crisp from Autumn through to the beginning of spring. 

The most arduous task involves the hedge that encloses the front and side of the garden. It is a mixture of privet (Ligustrum) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and stands over 6 feet high. It encloses the garden like a living verdant wall. 

Privet was planted ubiquitously as hedging in suburban gardens during Victorian times. It was one of the few hedging plants that coped well with the pollution created by the heavy industries. 

Hawthorn less so. This is traditionally more of a rural choice as a stock hedging for cattle. However, when we first moved here we noticed neighbouring gardens that predated ours were hedged with hawthorn so perhaps our hedge came from cuttings from these gardens? 

The thorns from the hawthorn are lethal and rip your hands to ribbons; it's one of the few times I wear gloves to garden - it really is a labour of love. But it's a small price to pay as hedges have many virtues! They add form and structure to a garden creating a perfect backdrop for planting schemes. They act as a filter against wind, noise and pollution. They never need painting. They can be relatively inexpensive. And when was the last time you saw a hedge blown over by the wind? 

But perhaps the best reason to include hedges in your garden is the benefit to wildlife. 

Hedges teem with life in a way a fence never can. They provide shelter for insects and especially birds. This hedge is above with dunnocks (or hedge sparrows) in particular. 

One section of the hedge has remained uncut for most of the summer as we discovered blackbirds had decided to nest on top of the hedge. The builders of this nest were obviously experienced as the thorns in this section are particularly vicious. 

When we checked this week, all that remained was broken shell, a good sign that another generation of blackbirds have fledged. Let's hope they leave next years cherries and strawberries alone!!!

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