The stunningly good RUclips algorithm brought me here. Love old woods, hedgerows & trackways. I knew about Hooper's Rule but not the other indicators - thanks for the insight 👍
This is wonderful, and also rather saddening in many ways - firstly, it is wonderful to learn so much more about the increasingly few hedges around, and also saddening that in the line below there is an ad [paid for I'm assuming anyway] for a review of the new Toyota Land Cruiser - this has 1,000 views, the ad has more than 300 times that. What is wrong with people that makes them look at a car advert more than learn about these fascinating and living entities. Personally, I will watch this many time, and I doubt I shall see the car one at all. Than you, Bill, for this wonderful post.
I used to be a gardener by trade, now a home gardener with a 2 acre garden, which was a clean slate when I moved in. Since I'd previously been responsible for maintaining hedges consisting of a single species (Holly, Leylandii, Beech) - No. Way. Was I going to plant a single species hedge all around this property. The most important feature of the hedge is security, to keep both a nosey neighbour and neighbouring cattle 'out,' so thorns and prickles are spread throughout: Hawthorn, Sloe, Scotch Briar, Dog Rose, Gorse, Pyracantha. To this, I added Hazel, Birch, Alder, Oak, Beech, Rowan, Raspberry, Cytisus, Guelder Rose, Apples grown from pips, Spiraea, Symphoricarpus, Holly, a Laurel, Goat Willow, a Sycamore, Salix alba, and likely a few others I've forgotten. It just makes it so much more interesting if you have a hedgerow that contains all manner of things that you can look at as you go along. It changes the way you prune from plant to plant, and I like to have some trees stand a bit higher than everything else. Last year, while I was working near the hedge (which finally grew sufficiently to fill the gaps a few years ago), I could hear a continual scurrying, scampering, fluttering and rustling of creatures using it as a highway from one woodland to another. It's just remarkable how much wildlife use it now, whereas 20 years ago there was nothing at all, just a load of posts and wire fence. And it does add to the overall environment a lot. Of course, the shelter changes everything, the leaves fall and add to the soil and insects, the flowers for bees, berries for anything that will have them, overgrown twigs for brash heaps. It's endlessly giving. Wild flowers have moved in - Bluebells, Wood Sorrel, and an Alkanet. Plus a few species of little brown toadstools (I can never remember their names). Birds aren't nesting in there yet (as far as I can make out), but I'm quite sure it won't be long.
The only really good thing about 'Hooper's Rule' is that it encourages people to take a closer look at hedges. That written, there are simply too many variables to make it of any worth. Interesting hedge trivia: the 'Great Hedge' in British India was a real thousand mile long customs barrier. 👍
There is some I do know, and much more I don't, and that falls into the letter category. Thanks, and I will be even more vigilant when looking at hedges in the future.
And local lore - if there's a legend attached such as with Judith's Hedge there's a good chance it's true. And please don't apologise for the yard - the metre is an interloper
The stunningly good RUclips algorithm brought me here.
Love old woods, hedgerows & trackways.
I knew about Hooper's Rule but not the other indicators - thanks for the insight 👍
This is wonderful, and also rather saddening in many ways - firstly, it is wonderful to learn so much more about the increasingly few hedges around, and also saddening that in the line below there is an ad [paid for I'm assuming anyway] for a review of the new Toyota Land Cruiser - this has 1,000 views, the ad has more than 300 times that. What is wrong with people that makes them look at a car advert more than learn about these fascinating and living entities. Personally, I will watch this many time, and I doubt I shall see the car one at all.
Than you, Bill, for this wonderful post.
I used to be a gardener by trade, now a home gardener with a 2 acre garden, which was a clean slate when I moved in.
Since I'd previously been responsible for maintaining hedges consisting of a single species (Holly, Leylandii, Beech) - No. Way. Was I going to plant a single species hedge all around this property.
The most important feature of the hedge is security, to keep both a nosey neighbour and neighbouring cattle 'out,' so thorns and prickles are spread throughout:
Hawthorn, Sloe, Scotch Briar, Dog Rose, Gorse, Pyracantha.
To this, I added Hazel, Birch, Alder, Oak, Beech, Rowan, Raspberry, Cytisus, Guelder Rose, Apples grown from pips, Spiraea, Symphoricarpus, Holly, a Laurel, Goat Willow, a Sycamore, Salix alba, and likely a few others I've forgotten.
It just makes it so much more interesting if you have a hedgerow that contains all manner of things that you can look at as you go along. It changes the way you prune from plant to plant, and I like to have some trees stand a bit higher than everything else.
Last year, while I was working near the hedge (which finally grew sufficiently to fill the gaps a few years ago), I could hear a continual scurrying, scampering, fluttering and rustling of creatures using it as a highway from one woodland to another.
It's just remarkable how much wildlife use it now, whereas 20 years ago there was nothing at all, just a load of posts and wire fence.
And it does add to the overall environment a lot. Of course, the shelter changes everything, the leaves fall and add to the soil and insects, the flowers for bees, berries for anything that will have them, overgrown twigs for brash heaps. It's endlessly giving.
Wild flowers have moved in - Bluebells, Wood Sorrel, and an Alkanet. Plus a few species of little brown toadstools (I can never remember their names).
Birds aren't nesting in there yet (as far as I can make out), but I'm quite sure it won't be long.
Thanks for this unique, interesting content
Wow Nice Video
The only really good thing about 'Hooper's Rule' is that it encourages people to take a closer look at hedges. That written, there are simply too many variables to make it of any worth. Interesting hedge trivia: the 'Great Hedge' in British India was a real thousand mile long customs barrier. 👍
A soil surveyor once told me that hedges often marked changes in soil type.
There is some I do know, and much more I don't, and that falls into the letter category. Thanks, and I will be even more vigilant when looking at hedges in the future.
Interesting. Not exactly Erath-shattering, but still a good vid-- to the point without a lot a fluff. Thanks.
yr 1070 hedge # of species
And local lore - if there's a legend attached such as with Judith's Hedge there's a good chance it's true. And please don't apologise for the yard - the metre is an interloper