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Know how to lay a hedge

We often see hedges around the edges of gardens and beds of veggies. See how they’re laid and make one yourself.

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You’ll need

  • Gardening equipment, including secateurs, saws and mallets
  • Tree or hedge cuttings
  • Sturdy gloves
  • Straight stakes or branches to use as upright posts

Before you begin

  • To get a better understanding of hedgelaying, watch one being laid out or have a go yourself. You could get in touch with local nature charities, farms or the National Hedgelaying Society for help doing this. They might be able to arrange a visit for you.
  • Living hedges can only be laid between October and March. A ‘dead hedge’, made up of fallen branches, twigs and leaf litter, can be laid all year round. The following instructions will help your group lay a dead hedge, which can be done during sessions without expert help. You might need to invite along a few extra helpers or leaders to make sure all the gardening tools can be used under supervision.
  • Note that if the hedge you’re laying is meant to take a particular path, the stakes should be pre-placed in the right spots, or markers placed for where each post should go. It works well if your two rows of stakes are not opposite each other, but slightly offset. The stakes should stand about 45cm apart from each other, but this gap could vary depending on the dead hedge material (branches, twigs or other cuttings) you’re using.

Hedge do you do?

  1. Explain to everyone that they’ll be looking at different kinds of hedges, how they’re formed and how they help wildlife.

For the purposes of this activity, there are four basic kinds of hedge. Two are those most likely to be found in a garden. The other two are more likely to be found in managed woodland or agricultural land. There is more about these types at the end.

  1. See if anyone knows any hedge types and whether they’ve ever noticed any nearby.

Answers will depend on location but people may mention species of plants, hedge shapes or places you might find a hedge. The types of hedge we’ll be looking at are dead and living hedges.

  1. Explain that you’re going to be laying a hedge. If it’s the right season and you’ve got an expert helping you, follow their lead to plant a live hedge. If you don’t have an expert and it’s late spring or summer, follow these instructions to lay a dead hedge.

A dead hedge is a bit like a long compost heap, kept in place by upright stakes. It can act as a barrier to people and wildlife that might trample an area but it also keeps rotting material in the ecosystem giving a great home to minibeasts and birds.

  1. Split into small teams of three or four people. Make sure that each person in each team is wearing gardening gloves and that there are enough helpers or leaders to supervise the use of each saw or pair of secateurs.
  2. Each team should take some straight stakes or branches and hammer them into the spot on the marked ground using the mallet. This should be done firmly so that the stakes or branches stand upright on their own.

You could treat the ends of each stake or branch with a preservative to make them last longer, though this isn’t essential.

  1. When all of the stakes or branches have been hammered into place and everyone is happy with the position of them, begin to lay out the dead hedge material to form the hedgerow. Here are some extra tips to help do this:
    • When laying material in between the stakes, move along the length of the hedge, completing a layer before starting a new one. Also, make sure that the material within a layer overlaps slightly. This will mean that the hedge has a much stronger structure by the end.
    • Forked branches or particularly bushy foliage should be cut down using the secateurs or a saw before being placed, to keep the hedge neat.
    • Take care when handling branches to look out for thorns and sap, and be careful not to hit anyone when transporting the material.
    • The ends of the dead hedge can be neatened up with the saw or secateurs.
  1. Use as much of your dead tree and hedge cuttings as you can. When the dead hedge is completed, have everyone step back and admire their handiwork. There might be some rough odds and ends that need trimming to neaten it up, but it doesn’t need to be a work of art.
  2. Tidy away the tools and come together. Tell everyone that the dead hedge is just one kind of hedge. It helps make use of cuttings and waste material in gardens and woodland that might instead be burned or transported away.

By leaving the material on the ground to rot down naturally, or to be used by birds for their nests, the waste material can continue to be useful in the ecosystem.

  1. Discuss other kinds of hedges. If possible, depending on the time of year, you may be able to walk around the local area and look at some. We’ve provided some more information above about other kinds of hedges to help you recognise what to look out for. See if anyone can spot any minibeasts, birds or other wildlife that might be able to take advantage of the hedge you just made.

Living hedges are another form a hedge might take.

One place you might see a living hedge is in or around a garden. These are typically called ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ hedges. Trees or shrubs are grown in a line and trimmed back. These make good barriers to the outside world. Those cut back less often, and particularly those with fruit or flowers, will be of the most benefit to wildlife. Popular hedges for formal hedging are evergreen trees, which keep their green leaves and needles all year round. A downside to these is that they can grow out of control very quickly, which can spoil the look of the garden or block out sunlight.

Another kind of living hedge is a laid hedge.

Hedgelaying has taken place in the UK for hundreds of years, with lots of different styles and patterns evolving in different areas of the country. All of the styles are similar, in that they involve cutting the upright trunks of a young hedge tree during winter. The cuts are made in such a way as to be able to bend the upright trunk, which is known as a ‘pleacher’ when over at an angle. Because of the position of the cuts, the pleacher is still alive and can take nutrients up through the roots. This means that in spring, new shoots grow along the pleacher and head straight up. A few years down the line, these shoots will be cut themselves, and the process is repeated. Over time, this forms a dense, strong hedge, which is a great barrier for keeping livestock in and keeping people out, and a perfect habitat for wildlife to thrive within.

Reflection

It’s said that Bronze Age people clearing woodland to grow their crops nearly 4,000 years ago created the first hedgerows as boundaries. Hedgerows have been maintained and planted ever since to keep people and animals away from crops, to mark property boundaries, help manage drainage and prevent flooding. Today, there are several kinds of hedge to choose from and they usually prove less expensive, more attractive and better for the environment than building brick walls or fences. By exploring how we work alongside nature in our everyday lives, we can create a better world for everyone and everything.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Animals and insects

Be aware of the risks before interacting with animals. Be aware of anyone with allergies, and make alternative arrangements for them.

Poles and long objects

Be careful when moving poles or long items. Take care if the ends are sharp. Have appropriate supervision for this activity.

Heavy and awkward objects

Never lift or move heavy or awkward items alone. Ask for help or, if possible, break them down into smaller parts.

Gardening and nature

Everyone must wash their hands after the activity has finished. Wear gloves if needed. Explain how to safely use equipment and set clear boundaries so everyone knows what’s allowed.

Sharp objects

Teach young people how to use sharp objects safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

PPE

Before completing this activity make sure you have suitable personal protective equipment (PPE). This could include eye or ear protection, gloves, and anything else you need to protect yourself. You’ll know what you need as a result of completing the risk assessment for the activity.

This activity can also be done on a small scale. Sink sticks into the ground instead of stakes, and use smaller cuttings to create a ‘model’ hedge.

  • This activity is a great chance for anyone who wants to get stuck in and build, but encourage those less confident or less comfortable with the task to find other ways to join in, such as keeping track of where the next bundle should go or helping supervise people using tools to make sure they’re safe.
  • Building smaller hedges at a height comfortable for everyone to reach may be a more accessible alternative. Hedges don’t always necessarily have to be high partitions.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Scouts Forester Activity Badge

Now you’ve made a dead hedge, why not venture into the land of the living hedge? Get in touch with a local farmer or the National Hedgelaying Society to arrange a visit and perhaps a lesson in live hedgelaying.

Anyone with experience using the garden tools should take the lead and show those less confident some techniques to help them become hedgelaying heroes.