Hedgerows

[Anne Kilmer]

I read that book years ago in the Westport library (Ireland); it's
wonderful. 
I thought it had a fair amount of explanation as to where he got his
figures. 
I think Florida would build at a far faster rate, particularly with all
the exotic shrubs and trees. And there are some hedgerows that are
invasion-proof: ficus, Australian pine, Brazilian pepper; they're
allelopathic ... or behave that way. 
As long as your invaders are natives, it's a benign process and
wonderful for wildlife. Hedge plants are not usually good fodder for
leps. 
Those three I've listed are now regarded as invasive exotics, and every
man's hand is against them, except for a few holdouts. 
Here, we're now trying to persuade gardeners to plant a mixed shrubbery
rather than a formal hedge; it offers far better food and cover for
wildlife, and looks pleasant in all seasons. I've seen some splendidly
formal and ornamental hedges planted using several different species of
shrub, all of them native. 
Anne Kilmer
South Florida
Graham Dixon wrote:
> 
> (I think this applies only to UK hedges)
> 
> I thought that you may find this interesting, the next time you're looking
> at "what's about" in the hedgerow.
> 
> The Hooper system for dating hedges (Doctor Max Hooper)
> Taken from - The Hedgerow Book - Ron Wilson
> 
> "The important fact in determining the age of a hedge is the number of
> shrubs growing in it. Dr Hooper looked at a large number of hedges. His
> method is to count the number of speciies in a 33ft (30 metre) stretch of
> hedge. Wher only one species is found, the hedge will be about 100 years
> old; if two species are growing there the hedge was 'planted' 200 years ago;
> if three species 300, and so on. A hedge with ten species may have been in
> existence for a thousand years or more.
> It must be remembered that this method does not apply to herbs, the smaller
> common plants of the hedge - brambles, nettles, and so on - but to those
> shrubs which, in their own right, will grow into trees or strong bushes:
> hawthorn, blackthorn, elder, holly, ash, horse chestnut etc".
> 
> The book goes on to say that the actual formula is:-
> 
> "Age of hedge in years = (99xnumber of species) - 16.
> 
> If you want to try and date local hedges, try Parish Boundary hedges or
> hedges that follow irregular lines (as opposed to being dead straight).
> 
> A hedge with ten or more shrubs probably goes back to the time of the Norman
> Conquest."
> 
> On a personal note I would be interested to know if anyone can explain the
> mathematics that were used to arrive at this formula. (I'm glad I didn't
> post this on April 1st
> 
> --
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> Graham Dixon
> 
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> Graham Dixon