Rejuvenated hedgerows
This gallery shows hedges that have been rejuvenated through laying, coppicing or re-planting. All hedges managed with a lifecycle approach will require rejuvenation of this kind at some point.
H4a Recently laid approximately in the last 5 years. Hedge stems cut at base and laid on their sides. Depending on time since being laid, significant re-growth may have grown from the base. The horizontal stems (alive or dead) should still be visible
4b Recently coppiced Stems all cut at ground level approximately within the last 5 years. Stumps may be visible, or there may be significant regrowth from cut bases
H4c Recently planted Approximately planted within the last 5 years, stems may still be protected by tree guards.
Rejuvenated hedges
H4a This hedge has been rejuvenated through laying. Laying hedges helps the hedge put on new growth at the base, helping thicken up leggy hedges with thin bases. This hedge has been layed through conservation laying style.
H4a This hedge has also been layed through conservation laying. This style is faster to do than traditional hedge laying styles.
H4a This is a hazel hedge that was layed 18month prior to this photograph. What was a leggy over-stood and gappy hedge has now filled in, bushed out from the base and is looking fantastic. This hedge will be cut in winter to start to develop the thick dense structure it needs.
H4a this hedge has been recently layed in a traditional style. The stems are cut low down and bent over, they are secured with stakes and binders at the top. You can see this hedge has already started re-growing.
H4a this hedge has been recently layed in a traditional style. The stems are cut low down and bent over, they are secured with stakes and binders at the top.
H4a this hedge has been recently layed in a traditional style. The stems are cut low down and bent over, they are secured with stakes and binders at the top.
H4a this is a closeup of a hedge that has been layed. It shows where the stems have had side branches removed and where bent stems have been cut and straightened to construct this hedge. This is a craft that takes years to master.
H4a Another recently layed hedge. These are too pretty not to post!
H4a This hedge was layed a year ago. You can see the plants have put on new shoots in the regrowth which will thicken up and rejuvenate the hedge.
H4a This hazel hedge was layed 18 months ago. Hazel is quick to re-grow and you have to look quite carefully to see the bent over stems (pleachers) at the heart of this hedge to show that it has been recently layed.
H4a This hedge has been recently layed. It is a Devon hedge on a bank, and looks like it was quite over-stood before being layed given the size of the pleachers (the stems cut and bent). Laying this hedge will have allowed light to reach the hedge bank, encouraging wildflower seeds in the soil seedbank to germinate.
H4a This hedge was layed a couple of years ago, you can see extensive re-growth but also still the structure of the lay.
H4b This hedge has been coppiced. It may look severe, but this is a way of rejuvenating an over-stood hedge. When a hedge is too large to lay, or needs extensive gapping up, coppicing is often the best bet. Long coppice roations can be used by those wanting to get a wood-fuel or timber crop from their hedge. A coppiced hedge will need to be fenced or dead-hedged to protect the re-growth from animals. (Photo by Ross Mangles)
H4b This hedge has been coppiced. It may look severe, but this is a way of rejuvenating an over-stood hedge. When a hedge is too large to lay, or needs extensive gapping up, coppicing is often the best bet. Long coppice roations can be used by those wanting to get a wood-fuel or timber crop from their hedge. A coppiced hedge will need to be fenced or dead-hedged to protect the re-growth from animals. (Photo by Ross Mangles)
H4c This hedge had severe gaps that have been re-planted. The tree guards protect the young growth from being eaten by animals. In this hedge the gap that has been re-planted was more than 20m so we constitute this as a separate hedge in our survey (20m of hedge with a significant change in structure).
H4c This is a newly planted hedge. You can see the tree guards protecting the new stems, which are planted in 2 rows and fenced off from the sheep. Shelter is really important for lambs in the spring, who have a higher exposure mortality rate without adequate shelter from the wind.
H4c This is a newly planted hedge. You can see the tree guards protecting the new stems, fenced off from the field.
H4c This is a newly planted hedge planted in 2 rows and protected by tree guards.
H4c / H5 This hedge was planted between 5 and 8 years ago. You can see all the stems are young, and the same age. They are all protected by tree guards. A mixture of hedge species were used. New hedges have two main management options 1) cut regularly for the first 5 years to develop the thick dense structure or 2) leave the new hedge to grow for up to 10 years, then lay. This second option creates a really good thick hedge with dense vegetation at the base.
