An Ode to the Hedgerow ~ by Claude Howard

Flying home from a holiday has always held one positive for me. Rising up to greet me, the familiar, pleasing patchwork of pasture, arable and woodland, framed by living boundaries that harbour untold ecosystems. In short, the humble, hardworking hedge.

 Humans have always needed boundaries to mark their territories. And hedgerows have helped provide an enduring demarcation line for at least the past two millennia, possibly even longer. With limitations in the use of early tools rendering the cutting of stone for walls a truly laborious undertaking for our ancestors, a simple ditch and hedge was the answer. This combination could provide security, grazing boundaries and a visible territorial line.

 Initially bolstered by a rudimentary fence, a planted hedgerow, particularly one consisting of blackthorn (sloe) and whitethorn (hawthorn) would have provided a dense, impenetrable barrier. And thus a common staple of the British countryside came into being.

 It is astonishing to think that the ubiquitous hedgerow is not a naturally occurring feature of our much loved landscape. Many trees that now make up a hedge would once have been on the margins of large forests. With the possible exception of beech, species such as elder, hazelnut, holly and the thorns do not thrive under a closed canopy and would have provided an almost impenetrable barrier around woodland, thus presenting themselves as the most likely candidates for hedging. For hundreds of years hedgerows have encapsulated a living symbol of enclosure. And their rise has provided an alternative habitat for many indigenous species driven to life in the margins.

 Farmland hedges are home to so much more than nesting birds. Increasingly, dormouse nests are being spotted alongside evidence of other omnivores such as the hedgehog. In fact recent studies have shown that over 2000 species of flora, fauna and funghi can thrive within their shelter.

The soil underneath an ancient hedgerow may not have been ploughed for centuries, if ever, and this will result in an environment rich in biodiversity. It will provide not just shelter but a linear protection for hunting birds such as owls and mammals, connecting them to woodland and water sources. Ecology loves margins and the opportunity for sheltered ‘migration’ enables many species to thrive. In addition old hedgerows store more carbon per hectare  than a forest– what’s not to love?

 Sadly, between 1946 and 1963, it is estimated that 3000 miles of hedgerow was removed from arable land per annum.  

 The need for food production and security increased with larger, more efficient sowing and harvesting equipment demanding open, prairie style fields. This in turn had a devastating effect on a wide range of creatures, leading to a serious rethink on how we view our relationship with the natural world.

 There were many protection acts bought in to being during the late 70’s and 80’s and early 90’s, but it wasn’t until the 1997 Hedgerow Regulation Act that specific measures were brought to bear. The largely EU funded Countryside Stewardship Scheme of 2015 increased rewarded protections. But the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulation of 2024 has now replaced rules lost following the end of EU cross compliance.

 Today there is an estimated 400,000 miles of farmland hedgerow in England alone, with Sustainable Farming Incentives encouraging landowners not just to replace lost boundaries but to protect and maintain the ones they have.

 Hedge laying, an ancient skill that allows the hedge to grow into an impenetrable livestock barrier, is enjoying something of a renaissance. To the casual observer, it is an act of violence. Taller branches are chopped at a 45 degree angle and bent from the vertical to the horizontal. It seems brutal, but the cut is not deep enough to sever life from the branch and allows the base to thicken, providing greater shelter for wildlife as well as serving the purpose of barrier.

 Another method, flailing, basically works as a giant hedge trimmer. It is cheaper and has quicker results. But continued mechanical flailing does not allow the base to thicken, resulting in a ‘gappy,’ ‘leggy’ hedge that serves as a boundary line but no more.

 Current guidelines under the 2024 Act ban any cutting or trimming between 1stMarch and 31st August, in order to protect nesting birds and other wildlife.

 This is a ban worth paying attention to. If farmers are required to desist from trimming during these months, we can surely heed the advice and refrain from a quick trim ourselves. The truth is that wildlife is now increasingly dependent on garden hedgerows, particularly in rural parishes with farmland adjacency. Many birds enjoy more than one clutch of eggs in a breeding season and with so many species in decline or on the red list, leaving your garden hedge makeover until late September could make a huge difference to the health of struggling avian populations.

 Butterflies, moths and other insects are also supported by the fruit and flowers of certain hedgerow species, with the ermine moth solely reliant on the spindleberry as their source of food and habitat.

 If you are considering a new hedge (and why not, fences can be a bit boring!), think of mixing up your offering and adding in some fruit and flowering types. Box has served as a traditional suburban demarcation for decades  but box blight has put an end to this trend. Whilst yew can provide a suitable dense alternative, escallonia can provide year round coverage but with the added bonus of pollinator friendly flowers. Holly can feel even more threatening than the thorns, but the density of growth provides excellent habitat protection. If you are planting holly, remember to ask for male and female specimens. Males will flower but the female produces the astonishing red berries. These in turn provide nourishment for dozens of garden birds and also act as a free Christmas decoration during the festive season! If you are feeling really generous, hedgerow climbers such as dog rose and bramble will supply both beautiful flowers and delicious fruit but will also require stern management to prevent an overwhelming invasion. Humans definitely require boundaries to their outdoor spaces. But we can do without the lacerations that thorn and bramble engender. Either way, the humble hedge is still a prominent feature of our landscape. And whether it is serving us or the local wildlife, it is an excellent addition to any garden!