After many delays due to materials and the awful weather, work started in earnest on the hedge laying project in Hungerford. As with all these kind of things, getting the project started normally takes an extraordinary amount of time – unloading materials, checking all the tools are sharp, getting the lines right, assessing the lay of the land etc etc. Then finally, you make the first cut – after that, it all goes swimmingly!
The concept of hedge laying is quite simple – to make a thick barrier of the natural hedge materials – you carefully cut through the main stem about 90% of the way until the limb bends over, then split downwards to make sure the limb is still firmly attached to the main root, but is pliable enough to lay over at about 35-40 degrees. The other method is called root laying, this is where the stem is too thin or the bush has a soft core which cannot be cut. You have to dig down either side of the stem in the direction of the lay, find the main roots on each side and cut them, leaving the other roots to provide the plant with nutrients. Root laying is far more difficult and time-consuming, however is extremely effective and necessary to produce a good hedge.
What this does is uses the thick part of the growth (the top) to fill the gap at the bottom which most animals simply walk though – making it ideal for keeping in stock or keeping out deer and people.
To start with, it looks a right old mess – this usually scares the client to death as they have planted this hedge about 10 years ago and this nutter comes along and cuts it down! As the job progresses and stakes and some binders are added to the mix – it all changes and starts to look better – then on the final dressing – it all takes shape.
The client visited the site early on when we had just started and I think was a little shocked, but also came back when we were about half way through and was delighted with the results on the bit we had finished. This looked particularly good as they have just renovated an old cottage and re-thatched so this was a perfect finish to the property.
If you think you have a hedge ready for laying, why not give us a call or email – you will be suprised how cost-effective it is to produce a really unusual feature and provide a great habitat for the wildlife around you.
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