What is a laid hedge?
A laid hedge is a hedge of living trees and shrubs that has been woven together to form a dense, almost impenetrable boundary. In Dutch it is called a vlechtheg. The hedge separates fields and pastures and keeps livestock in. The craft itself is known as hedge laying.
How do you lay a hedge?
- Plant young trees and shrubs in a row, for example willow, hawthorn, field maple or dogwood.
- Cut in: after a few years, cut the stems at an angle a few decimetres above the ground, most of the way through. A strip of bark and wood is left intact so the stem stays alive.
- Lay: bend the upper part down at an angle along the line of the hedge, without breaking the stem.
- Weave: weave the laid stems and side branches between vertical stakes along the length of the hedge.
- Regrowth: new shoots grow both from the laid stem and from the low stump, so the hedge thickens from the bottom up.
Thorny species such as bramble and rose between the woven stems make the hedge even more stockproof. Julius Caesar already described such hedges of cut and bent young trees among the Nervii, who used them to hold back cavalry.
Application
- Stock barrier and property boundary as a living alternative to wire mesh and barbed wire.
- Landscape restoration: in the Netherlands, the Maasheggen in North Brabant and Limburg in particular are still laid in the traditional way.
- Wildlife value: a dense hedge gives shelter to birds, small mammals and insects.
A dead hedge (German Benjeshecke) is something different: a row of dead brushwood in which new growth establishes itself naturally or through planting.
Tips
- Work in winter: the hedge is then bare and the sap is not flowing. Also respect the bird nesting season.
- Do not cut too deep: if you cut the stem right through, the laid part will die.
- Trim every year: remove unwanted shoots in winter, otherwise the hedge grows back into separate trees.
- Take a course: hedge laying is hand work with an axe, saw or billhook.
Related terms
- Hedgerow bank
- Boundary fence
- Fence post
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