Paul Blissett Hedgelaying

30 years hedging in Bucks, Beds & Herts
Twelve miles of hedge laid since 2000
The first and largest hedgelaying website

January/February 2015

40 yards mixed maiden hedge, hedgelaying training course, Maulden Wood, Beds. Midland Style
 
I instructed on this two day course organised by the Greensand Trust. The participants produced a very sound and tidy hedge.
Starting to trim back unwanted brush... Completed hedge
Very high standard for a beginners' hedge Participants in front of their hedge

 

 

15 yards garden hedge, Drayton Parslow, Beds. Midland style

The height and uniformity of this hedge allowed a very consistent finish to be achieved.
One passer-by told the owner that having the hedge laid had added £20k to the value of the house!

In the fourth picture you can see where two stems were laid the other way to give some brush at the end of the hedge and also where a couple of stems laid last time have been retained and their regrowth incorporated into the hedge
Hedge before laying Hedge laid
Hedge before Hedge laid
Detail of finished hedge

 

 

433 yards field hedge, hawthorn and blackthorn, Marsh Gibbon, Bucks, Midland Style

The farmer qualified for grant assistance under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme which covered most of the cost of laying this hedge ( the December entry is a continuation of this hedge along the previous field )
View before from far gate View after from far gate
Initial view from near gate Ash trees revealed!
Near section bridges the two fields Detail of start of hedge at gate
 
The picture on the left below shows a dead, though still solid stump retained to support a laid stem.
The picture on the right below shows how what on the face of it appeared a very awkward stem was used by first trimming protruding stems at the front to make a sound base for what would have otherwise been a very unstable stem, then laying the stem and then laying the long top stem which is itself supported by another fork of the same plant!
All is very solid even without any stakes in yet and bridges a large gap whilst retaining sufficient material in the base of the hedge.
Leaving a dead stump for support Dealing with an awkward pleacher
White-capped lump is a coppiced goat willow General view along hedge
View looking back to large ash tree Hedgelaying in the fog
The farmer has made two large mounds of brush for burning
 
The two pictures below show a relatively rare opportunity to lay a hedge either side of a style
Stile before hedge laid Stile after hedge laid

The two pictures below show the final short section of hedge the other side of the second gate
Short final section of hedge by second gate after ...and after.