Hedge Planting

The first boundary to be put in place was a hedge to create a sheltered area to the north of the eventual butterfly garden. The basics of a hedge are that it is a line of trees or shrubs trimmed to make a barrier. You should allow one or two plants to grow into mature trees and let the hedge grow more than 1.5 metres high. This will allow the birds a place to nest away from predators. After 3 to 4 years, allow grasses and wildflowers to grow at the base for animals, insects and birds to hide in.

Planting

The ideal plants to use are two year transplants 3 - 4 years old. These should be planted in a double row at a spacing of 200 - 300 mm, resulting in 7-11 plants per metre. The resultant effect should be a zig zag arrangements of plants. For holly, plant these in a single row.

Dig a trench one spade deep and put the soil to one side, ready to add back when planting. Loosen soil in the trench to a further spade depth and add rotted manure if available.

String and marker posts can be used to facilitate arranging the plant layout. Keep plant roots moist by covering with a plastic bag until ready to plant. Ensure the trench is deep enough to leave roots below soil surface once planted.

The upright shoots should be allowed to grow until the required height for the hedge is reached. This will take several years. Trim the rest of the hedge so that an 'A' shaped structure is formed.

Our Hedge

It is best to have variety in a hedge to add wildlife value. When choosing species, look for features such as how many insects the plant supports, what flowers, nuts and berries are produced and match plants to soil conditions.

For our hedge, we planted the following.

Hazel; This is a long standing resident of northern Europe and therefore has built up its own varied invertebrate fauna. This means it supports a lot of insect species. It is also a woody shrub and is of sufficient size and form to be useful to a range of larger creatures. It requires damp soil, acid or alkaline in nature. It provides nuts in the autumn.

Dogwood; Requires soil alkaline in nature. It sends out suckers and is valuable in adding thickness to the hedge.

Field Maple; Adds structure and density to the hedge and increases its value as a nesting site.

Dogrose; Has perfect flowers and produces spectacular rose hips that are very popular with the birds. It may also produce robins pincushion. These are galls that the rose is stimulated to produce by a particular gall wasp. The eggs are laid in a bud which then develops into a bright red pincushion. This acts as a food source for the grubs and also other insects.