How Do I Create a Natural Hedgerow

[ViciiK]

Hi, I have a privet hedge in my garden and I want to make it more like a natural hedge that you see in the country (prehaps minus the nettles though since I have a young child!) with elderflowers and brambles.

Can anyone advise me how I can achieve this since I wouldn't know what to plant and how to get the seeds/plants - can I take cuttings from the countryside or would I need to buy seeds?

Any advice would be welcomed
Thanks

[MKG]

Privet is pretty exclusive - it tends to make the soil it's growing in hostile to anything else. However, elder is a terribly strong plant, once established. Plant a few ripe elderberries, nurture them until they're old enough to look after themselves (I'd be surprised if that took more than a year) and plant them on the sunnier side of the hedge in a pocket of their own compost - see what happens. As for brambles - although it's a bit of a romantic idea, there's no way that I could advise anyone to plant such monsters in their hedges. The fruit is wonderful but the plant itself is aggressive, invasive and, if you or anyone else fell into it when mature (it, not you), downright dangerous. Today, your hedge, tomorrow, your entire garden.

[John Headstrong]

I agree with MKG about brambles, they can and will take over.

Hedgerows differ from county to county but generally hedgerows where for keeping animals in so thorns where used. blackthorn and hawthorn would be my choice. yes, I said thorns and you have children, but how many times has the child fallen into the privet hedge ? I have a few thorns in my garden and my kids have never fallen in to them. blackthorn and hawthorns flower and are great for wildlife.

elder can grow from a trunk that has been cut down, mainly when you dont want them to, if you where nearer I would give you one that has rooted where I didnt what it to.

I would cut out a section of the privet and plant a thorn, they can grow madly and like the top to be cut to encourage side growth.

[jumping bean]

I have bramble in my hedge and with 2 small children it is enemy number 1. I'm forever cutting it out, nasty stuff.

[ViciiK]

Thanks for all the ideas, that has been a great help. I don't mind thorns so much - as you say, how often do children fall into then - its just the nettles since you only have to brush past them to get stung. I do have nettles in the garden since I use the leaves, but I keep them to the veg plot where they are unlikely to cause anyone (but me!) any harm.

I will try these out - thanks again
VK

[ina]

There are a few other plants you could try - hazel, for example - very useful as you can also eat the nuts! Have a look at local garden centres what they sell as indigenous hedge plants, then you know what to go for.

[caithnesscrofter]

if you want to grow elder u can grow it from cuttings very easily. In august, find a good elder specimen. Take cuttings of this years growth. You can either use secateurs and make a diagonal cut just above a bud or use a knife to help pull a heel cutting away. Take your cuttings and shorten them to anywhere between 4-6 inches by cutting off the thinner top just above a bud. Trim any leaves at the bottom 2 inches flush to the stem. Dip cuttings in rooting hormone and put in compost. They will be ready to plant out the second winter.

[ViciiK]

Ina and CaithnessCrofter - thank you for your tips. I will set myself a reminder to get some cuttings in August

Cheers
VK

[caithnesscrofter]

i did loads of elder this way and they are coming on a treat. Good luck with your hedgerow. I did a similiar thing this year down our road. An informal hedge i suppose its called. I did a mix of italian alder, elder, juneberry, gooseberry, hazel, rosa rugosa, sea buckthorn and my robalan plum. Mostly for the edibles and alder for a quick grower and nitrogen fixer.

You could try eleaeganus multiflora (goumi) for an edible evergreen in your hedge?

[ina]

Behind one of our sheds I've planted several willow, a rowan, red currant, comfrey; some raspberries and ornamental red currant had come up by themselves, so I just keep the rasps in check; a bit like your informal hedge, I suppose! Oh, and I planted something that was given to me as elder - but I'm still not sure yet what it is!

[Mal]

I did a hedge last year at the back of the garden where my neighbours are happy with the chainlink fence they have in place. I put in a mixture of hawthorn, dog rose, dogwood, guelder rose and have since added thorn-free blackberries, tayberry and cotoneaster. It's all about knee-high at the moment and Mrs Mal laughs every time I refer to 'the hedge', but it will come.

I got a bunch of the seedlings from the woodland trust, so it's worth checking them out (although not free, obviously)

[Annpan]

Beware of Hawthorn... I swear ours hides in the privet and then jumps out when you walk past it. I have several Hawthorn scars and the even cut me through my leather working gloves

[happy place]

would echo the beware of hawthorn statement i got stabbed by a thorn couldn't get it out thought its only a splinter i'll worry about it later. few days after finger bright red down docs antibotics for 2 weeks due to blood posoning very common from hawthorn apparently so grate for keeping the unwelcome out but handle with care. plus i would always try to lay a hedge looks great and the wild life like them.