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Hedges: species and age
An earlier thread (see Best time of year to trim hedgerow) raised the question of hedgerow species and age. I remembered that Rackham had covered this at some length in his splendid History of the Countryside. The following much abridged notes may be of interest. Rackham on Hooper's Rule Dr Max Hooper (Pollard and others 1974) indicated that soil, climate, management or planting of a hedge were less important than its age. He surveyed the shrub and tree species in 227 hedges that could be dated from records with ages ranging from 75 to 1100 years. He discovered a degree of correlation between the species and the age. The number of species was approximately equal to the age of the hedge in centuries. Rackham comments that it is customary to use a sample hedge length of 30 yards and exclude under-shrubs such as brambles and woody climbers such as ivy and ignore sub-species (he gives the example of differing East Anglian elms). He provides a suggested list of species for inclusion (page 195, 1995 edition). Alder Apple Ash Beech Blackthorn Briar Broom Buckthorn Cherry Cherry-plum Dogwood Elder Elm - wych, English, East Anglian, Cornish etc, Dutch, Huntingdon etc Furze Guelder rose Hawthorn - hedgerow and woodland Hazel Holly Hornbeam Lime - ordinary, pry Maple Oak - pedunculate, sessile Pine Plum including bullace Poplar - aspen, black, white Privet (wild) Rowan Sallow Service Spindle Sycamore Wayfaring-tree Whitebeam Willow - crack, white Yew He goes on to say that there are some regional variations - Huntingdonshire and Lincolnshire hedges being predominantly simple of 1, 2 or 3 species, influenced by much Enclosure Act land (generally only 1 species) and with few hedges pre 1700. The ancient countryside of Devon and Kent mainly 5 plus species. rbel |
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