Bog Myrtle & Peat

It is ever more satisfying to witness the progress of my new hedge, which has come on in leaps and bounds since it was cut this spring. Many of the trees have bounced back with astonishing vigour, and many of the stumps have now bushed out with fresh growth that is almost five feet tall. I felt reluctant to cut this hedge in the spring, worrying that pro-active management would destroy all the careful progress I had made so far (see post from Jan). In reality, hedges need to be treated mean, and the thickening effect has been almost miraculous.

I also have my eye on the fact that the best and most valuable wildlife hedges are less than two metres tall – before it was cut, many of the hawthorns were rising beyond this limit in a series of high, spindly spires. The hedge has been forced into a new shape, and the effect has been to provide thick cover and concentrated benefit. The leaves now twitch and flicker when I walk along the stock-proof fence line, hinting at the movement of birds and beasts beneath the thick cover.

In terms of fruit and food for wildlife, the array of berries is now a sight to behold. The rose hips are lined up in clusters, and there are fistfuls of haws and elderberries. The field maples have turned a stunning shade of rusty red, and brambles run rampant through the entire mix, binding it all together as one. I am still unconvinced by the guelder rose berries, which often remain visible after every other leaf and fruit has gone. They can hardly be very tasty, and conditions have to get pretty hungry before anything even looks twice at them.