Planting a native hedge is
not only makes your garden more diverse and interesting, but it is also a
fantastic way to attract wildlife. It won’t take long until you reap the
benefits that your native hedging plant will bring. The berries, seeds and
flowers will help attract a variety of birds, insects and more than likely a
number of small mammals to your garden.
If you have the patience then the
best and cheapest way to create a native hedge is from whips. Whips are young,
bare-root saplings, that can be bought in bundles or as single plants around autumn
to early spring. They tend to be around a year old when you buy them.
Whips can be easily sourced from your
local garden centre. It’s also fairly easily to get hold of them online, where
a number of companies will provide them by mail order. It may also be worth
contacting your local council as some are able to provide grants under certain
circumstances.
Once you’ve got your whips you must
then make the preparations for planting. Autumn to spring is the most ideal
period for planting, but as long as the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged, you
should be fine. Bear in mind that the native hedging plant will be in place for
several years, so making sure that the preparations are thorough is essential.
Start by removing any weeds and large stones. After that you should dig the
area over and mix in some soil
Plant the whips roughly half a metre
apart. The spacing of each native hedging plant really depends on how quickly
it will grow, as well as how big it is likely to grow. It's better to air on
the side of caution when it comes down to spacing because you can always fill in
any gaps later on. Make sure the entire area is well watered and give the hedge
thick mulch which will help combat any weeds causing a nuisance to the hedge
growth.
Make sure that you feed the native hedging plant every year as well as topping up the mulch. You may also be
required to help water the hedge during dryer periods. If you are going to
prune the hedge then autumn is the best time to do so. This is so you don’t
disturb any nesting birds and the deciduous trees and shrubs are dormant.