Hugh Barker

Hedgerows still outline the shape of rural Britain, although coppicing - training trees and bushes into hedges - is becoming a very rare skill and new hedges tend to be of a single variety bush rather than a variety of trees, bushes and plants. Ancient hedgerows define history, some go back to the Enclosure Acts of the 16thC when the land surrounding villages was considered common land for farming and grazing animals. You can see where the ordinary people were dispossessed of their rights and their land was deeded to the nobles and those with influence. But politics aside, hedges are an ecological niche for many plants and animals.

Hedges are also good for annoying the neighbours. Untrimmed ones, ones that drop leaf litter, thorny ones, too-high ones. The ideal weapon for the passive aggressive person who has a grudge against the person next door! Of course, if that neighbour is more aggressive than passive, it can end up in court and then the hedge is doomed to be trimmed and costs will have to be paid. But still, that will be years away, and you can always start again.
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