Planting a hedge in your garden is a perfect way to support a diverse range of wildlife while creating a colourful, functional perimeter.
Why plant a wildlife hedge?
Hedges are a haven for wildlife, large and small; from birds, bats and hedgehogs to insects like ladybirds, earwigs and beetles, butterflies and bees and so much more.
There is no contest between installing a solid fence and planting a living hedge; there are a multitude of advantages. Hedges provide a wealth of benefits from fruit and nuts, to pollen and nectar-rich blossom for pollinators, nesting sites for birds, butterflies and moths use hedges to lay their eggs and mammals such as hedgehogs and mice not only make cosy shelters but use the hedges as corridors between gardens, allowing them to roam freely, whereas a fence is an enclosed solid barrier.
Hedges are an organic way to secure boundaries, offering privacy and diffusing strong winds; they also capture carbon and absorb pollution.
What to plant for wildlife?
Different shrubs will benefit different wildlife so when planning a hedge, plant a mixture of species as this will support the widest variety of creatures.
Try combinations of hazel (Corylus avellana), field maple (Acer Campestre), fruit ladened crab apple (Malus sylvestris), spindleberry (Euonymus europaeus) or leafy hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and elder (Sambucus nigra); each native shrub or tree provides their own individual attributes.
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) is a popular choice for beautiful flowers and berries, as are wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana) and the guelder rose (Viburnum opulus), sweet cherry (Prunus avium), willow (Salix alba) and dogwood (Cornus sanguinea).
Tailor planting choices to suit your needs. If hedging is being used to secure the boundary of your property then consider spiky shrubs that will keep out unwanted visitors. Holly (Ilex aquifolium), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), pyracantha, berberis and dog rose (Rosa canina) will all deter humans but still be relished by wildlife.
What to buy for a wildlife hedge?
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to plant a hedge is by using bare root whips. These are usually one year old shrubs or trees, that are sold as bare roots without soil. Time is of the essence when you receive them; get roots in the ground as soon as possible or at least heal them in to a holding bed while you prep the area you are working on.
Bare root whips are generally available to buy from November to March and are a very cost-effective way to plant hedging and light too; no heavy lifting required. They are also environmentally friendly as they cut down on the use of plastic pots and compost but you will need to be patient; whips will take a few years to bulk up. If an instant hedge is what you require then purchase more established large shrubs.
How to plant a wildlife hedge
First things first, decide where you want to plant your hedge; it could simply be at the boundary of your property or to separate areas of your garden such as dividing a vegetable patch from ornamental borders, then start prepping the ground. Cut away turf by hand or for large areas it may be helpful to use a turf cutter.
Make sure the planting area is free of weeds; cut back grass edges from the hedge site as these compete with whips for water, nutrients and space.
You might want to consider a weed suppressing membrane to cut down on vigorous unwanted growers; if so, cover the planting area in the permeable protective membrane, some materials even have markings on them which help with measuring out spacings.
Cardboard is a great temporary barrier which will naturally break down into the soil over time; save money and recycle cardboard boxes from postal packaging. If you are looking for something more heavy duty then try landscape fabric which can be found in organic or synthetic materials, woven or non-woven. These can be super tough but be aware sometimes the edges fray and end up loose in the soil.
Lay the fabric on the planting area and cut a cross where you wish to plant your shrub, large enough to fold back the fabric. ‘X’ marks the spot! Dig a suitable sized hole and insert the roots into the ground then replace the fabric.
Bare root whips will need soaking in water for a hour or two before planting or if planting large shrubs release them from their pots and tease out roots; then sprinkle roots with mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi create a symbiotic relationship with the shrub when it makes direct contact with plant roots, exchanging sugars for water and nutrients, greatly increasing the surrounding area these resources can be drawn from and in turn producing a healthier, larger plant.
For small spaces plant a single row hedge using three plants per metre or if you want a thick hedge then stagger two rows 45cm apart and place in the ground approximately four plants per metre, 50cm apart.
Looking after your wildlife hedge
Once shrubs are planted then prune each whip by half to encourage side shoots. Mulch with well-rotted manure, this acts as a protective nutritional blanket, then finish off with wood chippings to retain moisture and suppress weeds to reduce competition. Keep whips weed-free and well-watered, particularly in dry periods; consider irrigation.
If your garden is susceptible to rabbits and deer then protect the whips with compostable bio plant guards to stop nibbles. Plastic guards can pose a negative impact environmentally, breaking down overtime and depositing micro plastics in the soil so try and avoid and opt for plant-based guards ranging from cardboard and recycled wood residue to organic cotton and plant resin.
Wildlife visitors are wonderful and one of the main factors of a wildlife hedge to is attract creatures, but remember that you may have to protect young plants until your hedge has established.
Whips leaf up quickly so it won’t be long before these bare, woody sticks have turned into a vibrant flowering, fruiting hedge. In the summer prune the hedge to retain size and shape, then sit back and enjoy the wildlife that visits your plot.
