This section was finished in the first week of December – here are some photos showing the progress. We generally follow these steps:

• clearing brambles, nettles and so on
• prune and tidy the stems to get them ready to be laid
• ‘pleach’ (cut) them, allowing them to bend over without breaking, keeping them alive whilst stimulating new growth at the base
• stake the hedge to keep the branches and stems in place and give some structure and solidity
• weave binders at the top of the stakes to hold the foliage and branches down, keeping it thick and allowing it to knit together as it grows
• cut the stakes to height and trim the sides

With this section finished we’ve made a start near the crossing a little further up, and will work backwards, downhill till it joins up with this section.

It should make a large difference to visibility, sight lines, letting light in for wild flowers, and of course will rejuvenate the hedge itself, providing a wealth of habitat/foraging/nesting benefits for the local wildlife as the plants grow back in and thicken out.

If anyone would be keen to join, please get in touch! We meet mostly on Wednesdays, and alternating Saturdays and Sundays. (other days could be done on request)

And a BIG thankyou to all the course attendees and volunteers who have helped so far!