Does anyone here know full details ?
types of trees ,heights, light deprivation ?

In message , eddy
writes
Does anyone here know full details ?
types of trees ,heights, light deprivation ?

Do you mean the legislation on 'High hedges' ?

If so then it was discussed here a little while back, including links to
the draft bill.

A Google Groups search on 'high hedges' should turn up the threads. I'm
not aware of any progress since then.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

In article , eddy
writes
Does anyone here know full details ?
types of trees ,heights, light deprivation ?

IIRC new legislation is proposed to bring the height of growing hedges
into line with constructed fences, i.e. normally a maximum of 2m./6'6".
It aimed primarily at nuisance from Leylandii hedges which are left
untrimmed, but it would also take in other hedging problems.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article , eddy
writes
Does anyone here know full details ?
types of trees ,heights, light deprivation ?

IIRC new legislation is proposed to bring the height of growing hedges
into line with constructed fences, i.e. normally a maximum of 2m./6'6".
It aimed primarily at nuisance from Leylandii hedges which are left
untrimmed, but it would also take in other hedging problems.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

I'm planting a native hedge which isn't going to be a problem height for a
few years. When it is though, how is the height llimit enforced with respect
to the natural growth of hedges through the year? I'm thinking of something
I heard that trimming native hedges every year is damaging to the wildlife
and it's better to do it every three years instead. Something to do with
production of fruits etc. being better that way. If I do that though the
hedge will necessarily fluctuate in height between about 6ft and 8-9ft or
more. I imagine trimming a hedge to exactly 6ft every couple of months for
legal reasons would be bad for the hedge for wildlife reasons?

Martin

In article , Martin Sykes
writes

I'm planting a native hedge which isn't going to be a problem height for a
few years. When it is though, how is the height llimit enforced with respect
to the natural growth of hedges through the year? I'm thinking of something
I heard that trimming native hedges every year is damaging to the wildlife
and it's better to do it every three years instead.

Many of the rose family (which includes hawthorns, blackthorn) fruit opn
second year wood, so you have less fruit if you trim every year.

Something to do with
production of fruits etc. being better that way. If I do that though the
hedge will necessarily fluctuate in height between about 6ft and 8-9ft or
more.

No - not necessarily - it could fluctuate between 3 and 6 ft ;-)

I imagine trimming a hedge to exactly 6ft every couple of months for
legal reasons would be bad for the hedge for wildlife reasons?

Not particularly. Cutting in spring would disturb birds' nests. But
otherwise regular trimming would encourage the hedge to become bushier -
arguably a good thing for wildlife. And not everything lives on berries!
- if you want to encourage wildlife, avoid pesticides and encourage
insects - that way you get a diversity of insects and attract the insect
eating birds.

A word of caution - if you miss cutting a hawthorn hedge for a year, you
can no longer do it with a hedge trimmer, you need a saw as well.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

In article ,
Kay Easton writes:
| In article , Martin Sykes
| writes
|
| I'm planting a native hedge which isn't going to be a problem height for a
| few years. When it is though, how is the height llimit enforced with respect
| to the natural growth of hedges through the year? I'm thinking of something
| I heard that trimming native hedges every year is damaging to the wildlife
| and it's better to do it every three years instead.
|
| Many of the rose family (which includes hawthorns, blackthorn) fruit opn
| second year wood, so you have less fruit if you trim every year.

And many other families, too.

| A word of caution - if you miss cutting a hawthorn hedge for a year, you
| can no longer do it with a hedge trimmer, you need a saw as well.

Oh, come now! Hawthorn is not a fast growing plant, though it has
hard wood, and 2 year old shoots are FAR too thin to need a saw!
A pair of pruners is the most you would need, and you would rarely
need more than secateurs.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Kay Easton wrote in
:

In article , Martin Sykes
writes

how is the height llimit enforced
with respect to the natural growth of hedges through the year? I'm
thinking of something I heard that trimming native hedges every year
is damaging to the wildlife and it's better to do it every three years
instead.

Many of the rose family (which includes hawthorns, blackthorn) fruit
opn second year wood, so you have less fruit if you trim every year.

Something to do with
production of fruits etc. being better that way. If I do that though
the hedge will necessarily fluctuate in height between about 6ft and
8-9ft or more.

No - not necessarily - it could fluctuate between 3 and 6 ft ;-)

only 3 ft in 3 years? You haven't met my hazel hedge!

I imagine trimming a hedge to exactly 6ft every couple of months for
legal reasons would be bad for the hedge for wildlife reasons?

Not particularly. Cutting in spring would disturb birds' nests. But
otherwise regular trimming would encourage the hedge to become bushier
- arguably a good thing for wildlife. And not everything lives on
berries! - if you want to encourage wildlife, avoid pesticides and
encourage insects - that way you get a diversity of insects and
attract the insect eating birds.

I am letting some of my (mostly) hazel hedge shoot away for several
years because it provides a multitude of useful beanpoles and stakes.
I understand that this was in the past common practice.
Nearer the house I keep it trimmed down to 3ft (plus bank).

I have to trim it several times a year to keep it looking like a hedge
rather than a bunch of trees in a line. It will easily grow many feet
in a year, but I don't think the taller version is much more wildlife
friendly than the small version, unless you have no other trees - the
goldcrests hang about inside the thicker bottom bit, anyway (and inside
my berberis).

I also have a couple of beech hedges - those need *much* less trimming
and can be cut with a hedge trimmer even if left for a year or so
(though when I arrived I reckon they'd been left about 12 years - now
that *did* need a saw...)

Soil will make a difference - on my Cheshire clay, the elder tree in my
old hedge would make feet in a year and flowered reliably: on top of a
dry cornish bank, elder is now a delicate little thing that needs
encouraging along!

Oh, if you haven't bought your hedging yet, Martin, I'd suggest you
think twice about including wild roses. They make hedgelaying a very
scratchy experience with their long whippy stems. Grow 'em up something
you don't need to regular contact with instead, I would.

Victoria

On 19 Feb 2003 09:23:09 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:



Oh, come now! Hawthorn is not a fast growing plant, though it has
hard wood, and 2 year old shoots are FAR too thin to need a saw!
A pair of pruners is the most you would need, and you would rarely
need more than secateurs.

....and some really heavy duty gloves!

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

"Victoria Clare" wrote in message
.222...
Nearer the house I keep it trimmed down to 3ft (plus bank).

Someone else mentioned in passing that it's good to grow the hedge on a
raised bank because it encourages more wildlife. Can anyone explain why this
is and what extra wildlife I should expect for the effort.

Martin

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes

| A word of caution - if you miss cutting a hawthorn hedge for a year, you
| can no longer do it with a hedge trimmer, you need a saw as well.

Oh, come now! Hawthorn is not a fast growing plant, though it has
hard wood, and 2 year old shoots are FAR too thin to need a saw!
A pair of pruners is the most you would need, and you would rarely
need more than secateurs.

Well, I know that sounds logical! But I need a saw for the upright bits,
and I don't think we've left it more than a year. But may be it's that
one gets a greater urge to reduce the height of the hedge a bit if it's
been left too long?

I still think it's a lot easier in the long run to cut regularly.

Whoever invented nasty prickly hawthorn hedges has a lot to answer for
;-)
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

In article , Martin Sykes
writes

I'm planting a native hedge which isn't going to be a problem height for a
few years. When it is though, how is the height llimit enforced with respect
to the natural growth of hedges through the year? I'm thinking of something
I heard that trimming native hedges every year is damaging to the wildlife
and it's better to do it every three years instead. Something to do with
production of fruits etc. being better that way. If I do that though the
hedge will necessarily fluctuate in height between about 6ft and 8-9ft or
more. I imagine trimming a hedge to exactly 6ft every couple of months for
legal reasons would be bad for the hedge for wildlife reasons?

I think that these are some of the factors which are holding up
completion of the Act to be passed. That said, there's no excuse for
some of the 40/50/60 ft. examples of leylandii hedge to be seen.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In article , Martin Sykes
writes

Someone else mentioned in passing that it's good to grow the hedge on a
raised bank because it encourages more wildlife. Can anyone explain why this
is and what extra wildlife I should expect for the effort.

Greater tree/bush height relative to the surrounding landscape gives
certain breeds of bird more incentive to nest in those hedges.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
Greater tree/bush height relative to the surrounding landscape gives
certain breeds of bird more incentive to nest in those hedges.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

So a 5ft hedge on a 1ft bank is no better than a 6ft hedge on flat ground?

Martin

In article , Martin Sykes
writes
"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
Greater tree/bush height relative to the surrounding landscape gives
certain breeds of bird more incentive to nest in those hedges.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

So a 5ft hedge on a 1ft bank is no better than a 6ft hedge on flat ground?

The 1ft bank would give you better drainage if your ground is boggy in
winter. Otoh it might be too dry for the hedge if you're free-draining
anyway.

What it would give you is a good habitat for primroses, dog violets,
wild strawberries and so on.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Kay Easton writes:

snipped by keyboard

A word of caution - if you miss cutting a hawthorn hedge for a
year, you can no longer do it with a hedge trimmer, you need a
saw as well.

Oh, come now! Hawthorn is not a fast growing plant, though it has
hard wood, and 2 year old shoots are FAR too thin to need a saw!
A pair of pruners is the most you would need, and you would rarely
need more than secateurs.

Well, our hawthorn grew 3 feet last year. Whether you need pruners,
secateurs or a saw, I wouldn't want to have to tackle two years
growth, one snip at a time.

--
ned