Broadfork
A little guerilla hedge laying. #SolarPunkSunday #HedgeLaying
Feb 1 at 12:19pmWeb
Show threadHelenaFeb 1

@Broadfork it looks brilliant!
I love a bit of guerilla gardening.

As far as I can tell, if it looks intentional it should be ok. And the council don’t cut back daffs until after they finish flowering (plus a few weeks)

Show threadBroadforkFeb 1

@Hellybootwader Thanks. The council contractors went down the main footpath chainsawing and trimming the height off a lot of the hedge tops a fortnight ago.

They missed this side path so I thought I’d help them out 🙃 , help the wildlife out, improve and thicken the hedge and keep the footpath sign clearly visible too.

Show threadHelenaFeb 1
@Broadfork they would be fools to object to you helping!
Show threadBroadforkFeb 1

@Hellybootwader Given this is what they did to the main pathway I much prefer the hedge laying approach.

Pity they didn’t coppice the hazel properly. It would have made lots of useful stakes and bindings.

Out of picture there’s some holly, dog wood and horse chestnut next to the hazel which would be great to lay down.

Show threadHelenaFeb 1
@Broadfork your bit looks much better
Show threadBroadforkFeb 1
@Hellybootwader Definitely with all the new growth that’ll come from it.
Show threadSimon HobeckFeb 1
@Broadfork well done, it looks very neat. I have done the same and been happy with the results. also cut back Laurel as it blocks so much light.
Show threadBroadforkFeb 1

@Shobeck Thanks, I like seeing laurel around but it does take over.

Sadly none of the hedges along the footpaths are ever laid. They’re all either flailed, chainsawed, trimmed or strimmed.

I’ve tried guerilla gardening in the past by adding random plants to grow up in the gaps in bottom of the hedge but they always get strimmed out by the contractors.

Show threadSimon HobeckFeb 1

@Broadfork close to my house is a green area that appears to have been forgotten. owned by housing association, but ignored so I have been gradually shaping it. Litter picking, cutting back laurel, coppicing hazel, laying dead hedges, thinning brambles, etc. Am thinking to create a pond/bog garden.

Edit: fixing autocorrect from "compiling" to "coppicing"

Show threadBroadforkFeb 1
@Shobeck Sounds great! Keep going with it.
Show threadWhistlingStella 🇨🇦Feb 1
@Shobeck @Broadfork The best of guerilla gardening!
Show threadBrambleBearSnoringFeb 1

@Broadfork @Shobeck

I had to look this up. Very cool!!! Didn't know this about hedges.

For anyone like me unfamiliar with the the term laying a hedge, an explanation~

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgelaying

Hedgelaying - Wikipedia

Show threadSimon HobeckFeb 1
@BrambleBearSnoring @Broadfork there are different styles throughout the UK and Ireland (and likely further field).
It's a much nicer way to maintain a hedge, keep it stockproof (i.e. block the wholes), and protect the life living in it.
Show threadMike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺Feb 1
@BrambleBearSnoring @Broadfork @Shobeck
I've done a bit of hedge laying with an instructor.
It's extremely satisfying, but very hard work, and particularly hard on the knees!
Show threadBroadforkFeb 1
@MikeFromLFE @BrambleBearSnoring @Shobeck I’ve found the workload is a lot easier the sharper the tools. A blunt billhook is no fun to lay hedge with and knee pads are a must for me.
Show threadLee from ColoradoFeb 1

@BrambleBearSnoring @Broadfork @Shobeck that is very cool.
Well done hedge layers!
May your pleachers grow green! May your stobbins sprout vigorously! May your twiggy ends bind strongly!

(I just learned some new vocabulary...)

Show threadHesperalisFeb 1
@Broadfork Excellent!