Mixed native hedges are a common sight seen across much of the United Kingdom’s countryside for a great many centuries. At one time the British countryside appeared much like a patchwork quilt with small fields separated by mixed hedging and small areas of woodland. Unfortunately much of it has long since been destroyed as field sizes increased and the need to allow access to enormous farming machinery increased. This has led to a dramatic decrease in the total area of natural habitat for a number of native species of wild creatures. Happily in most recent years there has been an upsurge in interest in conservation and this is resulting in an increase in projects to restore old mixed native hedging and also in planting new ones.

Mixed native hedging is an attractive hedge of a variety of trees and shrubs native to the locality, often they are punctuated with fine specimens of native deciduous trees and large shrubs and most are trimmed annually to reduce encroachment onto farmland and reduce overhang onto country roads. In the British Isles mixed native hedging usually consists of a mixture of the following shrubs; Quickthorn, Alder Buckthorn, Blackthorn, Common Buckthorn, Dogwood, Field Maple, Hazel, Dog Rose, Spindle and Sweet Briar Rose, Common Alder, Sea Buckthorn and Wild Privet.

The native trees often found dotted along such hedging and allowed to grow to full maturity can be any of the following; Common Alder, Wild Cherry, English Oak, Mountain Ash, Field Maple, Ash and Bird Cherry. It is also common to see native poplars and willows and sometimes Elder. As well as providing excellent habitat for native wild creatures such trees can also be a rich source of hardwood.

More aesthetically pleasing hedging can be created by using trees and shrubs which have a wider variation in colour. Green and Purple Beech, Hornbeam and Golden Privet can be placed periodically along the hedge and other shrubs such as Cotoneaster franchetii can be used occasionally to create a diverse hedge with a rich variation in colour.

In the landscape garden mixed hedging is a fine alternative to fencing. Although fencing offers many advantages most garden designs will benefit from the addition of at least one mixed hedge. If you wish to create hedging with a year round appeal you could add the occasional evergreen tree. If you wish to use such hedging and trees for privacy the addition of other evergreen shrubs will extend the privacy aspects throughout the winter months. Most conifers offer little change throughout the year but the addition of such plants as Berberis darwiinii and Pyracantha Orange Glow together with Escallonia will provide bursts of additional colour. Philadelphus and Viburnum can also be added together with Winter Honeysuckle, Amelanchier and Deutzia Mont Rose can help add colour when other plants are dormant.

If you have a larger garden you can really go to town on your choice of trees and shrubs but you may find that the task requires additional labour as trees and shrubs are usually planted much closer together in hedging than they would normally. You can search online for local landscaping contractors, check any local newspapers for adverts or ask at your local garden centre or nursery.

Eric Johnstone has been a landscape gardener for about 15 years and writes for a small number of landscape gardening sites in his spare time.