In article , H Ryder
writes
Sorry to keep asking questions but have another one. The garden is bordered
by a natural hedgerow, mainly hawthorn but beginning to be taken over by
brambles. How should I prune it/cut it so as to minimise the brambles? If I
just cut with a hedgetrimmer will I end up with just bramble eventually or
will the hawthorn survive (I have small children so want to avoid the great
trailing whippy bits of bramble.) TIA

No, the hawthorn will survive. If you also keep cutting back any bramble
stems that emerge from the hedge, you'll upset the bramble more than you
upset the hawthorn.

If you can get in at the bottom of the hedge, repeatedly cutting the
bramble off at the base will get rid of it eventually.

I wouldn't worry too much about the children certainly once they get to
be about 3 or 4 - in the long run they'll be a lot better off if they
learn early that some plants can bite.

But what you'll need to be careful about is gathering and disposing of
all your hawthorn trimmings - they really are vicious.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"