Hedgerow Bounty

Berries, lots of them in my ‘unkept’ hedgerows now. They look so beautiful. I can harvest the blackberries, elderberries, the sloes (gin…), the hawthorn and rose hips too if I want. I will too. But I will also leave some.

Our birds and small mammals depend on them to see them through the winter. If I were to take the slasher to the hedgerows now all would be lost. So, I am waiting, until the birds have finished munching the berries, until the migrating Fieldfares and Waxwings have arrived. Our birds really need these food sources and my hedges, and yours, really do make a big difference to their survival. They need this food before winter.  Hedgerow loss and hedgerow management practices are one of the big factors contributing to the decline of our wildlife. So, please wait until the berries have been stripped from the branches before you tidy and trim.