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Home Blog Planting Hedges & Hedgerows to Invite Wildlife
May 22nd 2023

Planting Hedges & Hedgerows to Invite Wildlife

Written by
Floret

When we first got the new farm, it was nothing more than a large, open field without any trees or shrubs as far as the eye could see. A blank slate really. You can read more about it here

So one of the first things we did was to plant hundreds of trees and a series of hedges and hedgerows throughout the property to help create a sense of place and permanence and encourage more wildlife to make the farm their home.

Hedges and hedgerows are often described as living corridors for wildlife, helping them safely travel from one place to another. 

These plantings have many benefits, but some of the most important are that they help slow down harsh winds, prevent erosion and damage to field crops, provide a nectar source for pollinators, and food and shelter for songbirds.

By definition, a hedgerow is a mixed planting of shrubs and small trees that eventually grows together to become a living wall. Hedgerows have a much more wild, unkempt look, whereas hedges are typically pruned yearly to maintain a tidy and uniform shape.

I prefer to use hedges to mark the boundaries of a garden area or as a backdrop for a decorative planting, and I like using hedgerows in places where they have room to spread out, such as along a roadway or field edge. 

Both hedgerows and hedges have many benefits and choosing which one works in your situation will really depend on your needs and design.

When we started looking for information about designing hedgerows, there weren’t a lot of examples available that used non-native plants. While native hedgerow plantings are amazing, I wanted to experiment with using ornamental shrubs and small trees to see if we could get the same benefits of a traditional hedgerow, with the addition of more beauty.

When selecting plants for the ornamental hedgerows I tried to choose things that were vigorous, disease resistant, put on a beautiful floral show, and either left behind some type of fruit or seeds that could be eaten by songbirds and other wildlife. 

While we used many different types of plants, in order to simplify the design process and test out which ones performed best, we decided to use the same plant spacing for each hedgerow combination so that we could test out which ones performed the best.

Before planting, the ground was prepared by putting down a thick layer of compost, plus some natural fertilizer, which was incorporated into the soil using the rototiller attachment on our tractor.

Each planting bed measured 6 ft wide and 80 ft long and consisted of two rows of plants spaced roughly 3 ft apart, off-center. Individual plants within each of the rows were also spaced 3 ft apart.

The reason we used such close plant spacing was because we wanted the hedgerows to fill in quickly.  

We opted to use smaller plants in 1- and 2- gallon pots along with bare root shrubs and trees because they would encounter less transplant shock and were also more affordable.

After the plants went into the ground we mulched all of the bare dirt with a layer of cardboard and compost to help suppress weeds and feed the plants. Drip irrigation was then installed and run twice weekly from May through September.

The taller trees were staked for the first 2 years to help their roots take hold more quickly and keep them from blowing over in heavy winds. 

Along the back border of the farm, which is the most exposed site, we planted a long L-shaped hedgerow made up of plants that are native to the Pacific Northwest, including swamp crabapple, Western spiraea, roses, dogwood, snowberry, willow, and mock orange.

So far this planting has done remarkably well and in just two growing seasons, large swaths of it are already filled in. 

Flanking the roadways and our field growing blocks are a series of hedgerows that include a mix of ornamental shrubs and small fruiting trees. After trialing numerous varieties in this setting, I have discovered some real standouts in the process.

At the bottom of this post, you can find a printable list of all my favorites!

When it came to the single-species hedges around the garden spaces, we approached things a bit differently. Rather than choosing small plants and waiting for them to grow in we instead opted for larger, partially established hedges to create a more immediate sense of place.

We worked with a wonderful company called Instant Hedge that specializes in this type of hedging and their innovative packaging allows the hedges to be transplanted any time of the year without experiencing transplant shock. I was quite skeptical when we first discovered them, but Becky kept reassuring me that this type of hedging was commonly available in England and I’ve been so impressed with how quickly they’ve established.

We’ve since planted nearly half a mile of their hedges, including European beech, Portuguese laurel, and schip laurel, and all of them have done remarkably well. 

One of the things I love about the beech hedge is that if you keep it trimmed under 6 ft in height, the plants will hold their dead leaves through the winter, which creates the most beautiful brown hedges that sound like running water when the wind blows through them.

The downside to going this route is that it requires the use of a forklift for moving the heavy boxes of hedges and a backhoe for digging the trench, but if you have access to this type of heavy equipment, their hedges truly are “instant.”

Here’s a short video we made with them about our experience working with their company.

Going into this project I knew that not all of the varieties that we planted would thrive. But I wanted to try enough different plants and planting combinations to observe their performance and evaluate which were truly suited for this type of approach.

My hope was that I could identify the best varieties so that home gardeners might be inspired to consider adding a hedgerow to their garden. I also thought this approach would work well for flower farmers who are short on space but want to add more woodies into their operation. 

Additionally, I wanted to see if this type of approach would work in a more traditional farm setting noting the yearly labor requirement and maintenance involved, plus the upfront investment needed for plants. 

To date, we have planted 1.12 miles of hedges and hedgerows throughout the farm and I have plans to add more this autumn. 

Overall, this project has exceeded my expectations and we’re only three growing seasons in. The number of songbirds and new wildlife we’ve seen on the farm since planting these has been incredible and I’m excited to see who shows up next.

In addition to the beauty that the hedgerows offer when in full bloom, they are also humming with life all season long.  

As this project continues, I will be sure to share any new findings. If you would like to download a printable planting plan and plant list for my favorite ornamental hedgerow combination, you can sign up to receive it below.

I would love to know if you have any experience growing hedgerows or if you have a favorite tree or shrub when it comes to attracting wildlife to your garden. 


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68 Comments

  1. Talulah on

    I found your piece on hedging and hedgerows very interesting. The favourite hedge I have planted so far is the Rugosa Rose, Agnes. Its is quite an early Spring blooming rose with abundant and beautifully fragrant pale amber yellow blooms. ‘Also have planted hedging rows of Eleagnus, Thuja, Portugese Laurel, upright Hornbeam, Poplar, English Beech and Viburnum and a mixed looser looking hedging of cherry Laurels, conifers, silver birch and Copper Beach – trying different varieties to see what suits our soil and conditions (zone 8, and windy).

    Reply
  2. Cheryl Elkins on

    Thank you so much was just wondering what to do on my property. You are such a blessing to everyone. Thank you again for all you and your team does.

    Reply
  3. Mary on

    Hi! This is very inspiring!! I wonder which plants you tried that didn’t work? Looking at your list I was wondering if you had tried and they didn’t survive things like cotinus, witch hazel, stag horn sumac, tree peonies, which are on my list of woody plants I would like to grow.

    Reply
  4. Barbara on

    Beautiful hedges! A question: you mentioned installing irrigation before planting the hedge plants — what type of irrigation did you use? I live in dry-summer Oregon, zone 8b, and am wondering how to set up watering for permanent plantings. Taking up drip lines every year, like for annual beds, would disrupt the perennials and ground covers. How do you handle this?

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Hi Barbara,
      Thanks for asking this great question. For our perennials, we leave the drip tubes on the ground year-round. For annuals, we use irrigation tape and put it away each winter.

  5. Jess on

    Thank you for the update, I’d been wondering how the hedges were doing since watching the video where Becky came to the farm!

    Reply
  6. Meredith on

    My husband and I live on 10 mostly bare acres near Boise, Idaho and we are very interested in undertaking a massive hedge project. My father-in-law planted a lilac hedge to shield the house from the horse corals many years ago and that is really beautiful. (Our home is my husband’s childhood home. We bought from his parents in 2004.) Whatever plants we eventually choose, I hope to include as many varieties of lilacs as I can get my hands on. I do have a question: how much space did you leave between your hedge and property line?

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Hi Meredith- We left 20 feet between the hedge and property line. Hope that helps!

  7. John on

    Several years ago I divided an old bunch of peonies and replanted as a hedge row to separate our yard area from our garden. Also, added a mass of iris which are gorgeous in bloom. I also incorporated trees and other shrubs and flowers and boulders. In Spring the blooms are amazing and as the seasons change so do the flowers and Autumn colors. The rocks give dragonflies a place to warm up and the peach trees bring in hummingbirds. And although the bunnies nibble some items the kiddos love watching them grow from babies each year. I also have grass paths through the garden so the kids have fun playing hide and seek out there. Interplanting a food garden within the landscaping has really brought the wildlife in and breaks up the monotony of rows of crops. Now it’s just smaller plots mixed within. More butterflies and bees too, which means more to watch and more pollinators. Trying to keep it more as nature intended.

    Reply
  8. Susan on

    I love that Floret is providing information and inspiration on this less-than-mainstream topic of hedgerows. My family was just discussing the disappearance of game birds in the Willamette Valley due to the reduction of hedgerows that provided habitat. All of our wildlife need forage and shelter, especially along migration routes. Hopefully this post will inspire flower growers and traditional farmers alike to start planting! Thank you for the great information.

    Reply
  9. Carrie Bunch on

    This post is so timely! I recently received an
    NRCS grant and included is funds for a hedgerow for the west side and north side of our property. I’m very excited but it feels overwhelming to think about which plants will look good together and be useful in floral design.
    Thanks so much for sharing some inspiration for my design!

    Reply
  10. Kristi Hein on

    In 2006 we began converting our .17-acre ton lot from mostly lawn with a few flower beds and 3 big trees to a backyard wildlife habitat, starting with native hedgerows. The conservation district short course was so energizing and inspiring and gave us the initial practical advice we needed. Our yard’s “native” soil was awful developer fill, so we brought in good soil to build berms. Instant Hedge looks amazing, but for those on a budget who can wait on a few years of growth, I recommend conservation district sales of bare-root bundles. I potted most into gallon pots to raise for a year, then planted out: flowering currant, ocean spray, mock orange, snowberry, serviceberry, salmonberry, dogwood, ninebark, hawthorn, mahonia, nootka rose (the latter were too aggressive, albeit beautiful, so sadly we had to take them out). We also found bargains at the Native Plant Society sales and some native plant nurseries. We absolutely love how these have grown up, and so does the wildlife.
    I agree that there are many wonderful nonnatives that harmonize with the natives. Notably, for privacy, we needed something REALLY tall and fast-growing to screen off a two-story house with second-story deck practically on our property line, looking directly into our windows. We researched for years and chose bamboo, carefully selected for cold-hardiness and sited on dedicated berms with access all around to catch the new shoots in spring. Within 3 years they were 20 feet tall and screened off the neighbor house with a gorgeous, rustling wall of year-round green that the birds adore. Robins, White-crowned Sparrows, and Towhees have nested in the bamboo. With your space, I invite you to try some bamboo, clumping or running! It’s beautiful and manageable with education and attention.
    Thank you for spreading the word on hedgerows!

    Reply
  11. Kat on

    We planted our third hedgerow in Maryland last fall using only native shrubs/small trees. We are using them for all the reasons given in the blog post and deer protection around cut flower beds. Deer can’t eat through or jump into the beds – though we did have to fence for two years to let the shrubs fill in. We focused on shrubs with suckering habits to aid in creating density. Ninebarks, viburnams, winterberries, elderberries, sweet bay magnolias, paw paws, chokeberries, Carolina allspice, itea (sweetspire), and wax myrtles form the main hedgerows combined with many smaller perennials.

    Reply
  12. Beth on

    Location is Seattle corner lot which abuts the street entrance to park, and heavily used beach entrance to Lake Washington. For privacy in summer, but dies back for light in winter months we have 40 year old kiwi plants and Virginia creeper on one noth cyclone fence section, with Virginia creeper and Rosa rugosa on remaining north side. On east side is hazelnut. Also, provides habitat for many bird species. Creates a secret garden effect in summer within our large yard, which has a rose garden, herb garden, vegetable garden, moist shade garden along creek embankment, and all around perimeter fence and house are cottage flower beds. Lots and lots of multiple bee varieties, hummingbirds, and due to creeks and lake, many varieties of waterfowl, also beaver, river otter, etc.

    Reply
  13. Brendan Armitage on

    A native hedge sounds wonderful, until you realize that you’re trying to grow flowers and plants, not encourage animals that like to eat your flowers and plants.
    Perhaps what you’ve done works in your area, but back east in Pennsylvania, what you did would give us nothing more than raccoons, groundhogs, rabbits, opossums, chipmunks and snakes…generally problems, as well as a wonderful place for poison sumac and poison ivy to grow.

    I do want there to be wild areas for wild things to grow and develop. But not in my production garden.

    Reply
  14. Paulette on

    You and your staff have made your property so amazing. I love that birds have found all the shrubs and trees.

    Reply
  15. Linda Cobb on

    Erin, you and your team are just plain miracle workers. It’s very hard to do what you’re doing. You are blowing my mind and on top of that you’re sharing it all with us. I am overwhelmed with your generosity. thank you.

    Reply
  16. Rory on

    Another thumbs up for Instant Hedge. We’ve planted a lot of yew hedge from them, as well as some hornbeam. The yews could be handled manually, but as you say with the hornbeams definitely need equipment (and it makes working with the yews faster too). Everything we have from them is thriving and the effect is indeed “instant.” They have a great product and their customer service is excellent.

    Reply
  17. Wendy Mosiman on

    In Kansas, we have added to our 100 year old Osage Orange hedgerows with Sand Plum and Lilac. Your instant hedges are an amazing idea!

    Reply
  18. Megan Shay on

    In upstate NY, I planted an ornamental hedge along a sidewalk to give year round interest to users and some privacy for us:
    Rugosa Rose, Beauty Berry, Beach Plum, Bloomerang lilacs, flowering quince, crab apple, nine bark and lime leaved spirea

    It’s anchored with a purple leaved catalpa and a clipped hedge of barberry to add formality at the driveway.

    I under plant on the shady side with ajuga and Myrtle and on the sunny side with bee balm.

    I also use elderberry in hedgerows and have had great success with thornless blackberries trained on homemade bamboo fencing. If you would like a picture, my email is [email protected] and my instagram is gardenworksflorida.

    Best,
    Megan Shay

    Reply
  19. Lisa on

    I would love to do this. I’m in the city but trying to create a natural refuge and attract birds and pollinators. My problem: deer. They walk down my street in herds of six or more :( They love ninebark and many other plants. Just chew them to the ground.

    Reply
  20. Elle on

    This is fantastic and so timely for me, personally. I’m working at this very moment on plans to re landscape our property and drawing up a list of desired shrubs.

    Reply
  21. Elizabeth Fichter on

    On our farm, I wanted to create a border that filled in quickly, minimized wind and that had different interest, texture, color and height and that as it grew together, was a kaleidoscope of alternating blooms. I’ve incorporated:
    Blood red Smokebush and Chartreuse Smokebush (for height), Sweetshrub, Ninebark, (standard and chartreuse), several different varieties of Wiegelia, Deutzia, Little Kim Lilac, Korean Viburnum, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Buttonbush, Japanese Dappled Willow, Mock Orange, Spirea (3 different varieties), Privet, and Milkweed (for the Monarchs), Butterfly bush and Plum. The effect is stunning and there’s always something gorgeous blooming. We have tons of bird life, butterflies and bees!

    Reply
  22. Lena on

    My neighbor built an ugly privacy fence to block my magnificent view of the valley below. I have been thinking about how I can beautify the damage. Planting the shrubs and trees sounds like a wonderful idea. I thought about planting vine, wisteria and climbing roses so they can cover that notorious fence.

    Reply
  23. Mary Margol on

    Just wondering about your use of tractors for field maintenance with the installed hedges. Have the hedges changed your field maintenance processes?

    Reply
  24. Luanne on

    In Iowa, I’ve planted Limber pine, fragrant sumac, ninebark, serviceberry, New Jersey tea, aronia berry, and lilac along a busy sidewalk and street. Not only does it provide privacy for me, food and flowers for the animals, but also some sweet scents for the passersby.

    Reply
  25. Robin on

    We have started a hedgerow as a semi privacy screen between our five acres and the neighbors, using the beautiful Concha California Lilac. Arching branches, evergreen, drought tolerant with deep purple/blue flowers in spring. Fast growing, can reach 8 – 10 feet. Attracts birds, bees and butterflies.

    Reply
  26. Ellen on

    I have tried to make a wildlife cooridor at the edge of my one acre property that is about 25-30 feet wide for privacy and to attract birds and insects. I have planted some Redbud trees, American Holly, Nellie Stevens holly, Juniper, cranberry viburnum, arrowroot viburnum, chokeberry, clethera, roses, forsythia, whitch hazel, red twig dogwood and oakleaf hydrandea. This has created a dense “green wall” that gives us privacy for most of the year and has lots of diversity. We attract many birds for all 4 seasons and a large variety of insects and bees. In front of this “green wall” I have planted many daffodils for spring bloom and pollinator edges with yarrow, rudebekia, sedem, daisies, agastache. I have a perennial garden with some pollinator plants like swamp milkweed, joe pyeweed, fennel and also roses, spring bulbs, allium, daisies, peonies and whatever else finds its way there. I have a veggie garden that is mainly tomatoes and eggplant with greens and a dalhia patch/cutting garden with the usual annuals stock, cosmos, zinnias, strawflowers, celosia. Slowly, I am decreasing the amount of lawn and increasing area for gardening and relaxing with tables and chairs. It is a work in progress and gives me great joy.

    Reply
  27. Patricia on

    We live on a farm in south central Nebraska, zone 5b. We keep an informal hedge to the east of our home area that separates our gardens and lawn from the gravel drive where grain semis come and go. It consists of Blue Kazoo Spirea, panicle hydrangeas, butterfly bush, shrub roses and catmint. It’s done very well through the years. Regarding plants or trees that support wildlife, we have many different species of trees, deciduous and evergreen. I believe it’s the mix of them that is most helpful, with a small meadow to the north, and a large windbreak of deciduous and rows of evergreen behind to the northwest. We purposely keep a few dead snags in a couple of the maple trees in our yard, the woodpeckers love them. I’m excited about your article, it’s excellent!

    Reply
  28. Elke on

    This is so very inspirational, Thank You! We are looking to plant perennials along two sides of our 1 acre community garden and are so excited to have your example to help guide us through this project.
    I love ceanothus varieties because their foliage is absolutely stunning and they flower early when not much else is. And we’ve wanted at add flowers for bouquets, but not really give up harvestable growing space, so this could not be more perfect. Thank you for sharing this beautiful gift!

    Reply
  29. donna papetti on

    My daughter has a large property in a small town that was wide open, to create some privacy she planted different types of nine bark, that has done beautifully. The chartreuse and brown copper color of the varieties has done so well. With our harsh winters, zone 3 , they have really flourished.

    Reply
  30. Melissa | TANGLEBLOOM on

    We’ve been working on a hedgerows project on our farm and this info is going to help so much — thank you!

    Reply
  31. Molly on

    How do you have time to track ALL the things down?!? When we moved to our property I tried to find info about a hedge. No luck. Then I just abandoned the plan for having anything official and just let nature take over. That was wrong and now we’re overrun with honeysuckle and Russian olive. I’ll start digging some of those out and adding some more appropriate plants. Thanks!

    Reply
  32. Janet Schuhl on

    Erin, thanks so much for this awesome info. I have been planning a new hedge row from scratch and scouting everywhere to get information. I have an old fence that needs to come down and actually have property on the other side of it. It’s 300 feet long and in full sun. I have finally  decided what I want to put in this hedge row to make it appealing and functional. I’m hoping I can live long enough to have it grow so I can coppice and incorporate a fancy weave or wattle. I want to incorporate several varieties as is recommended from the research out of the UK. I’m planning on 2 varieties of trees. Crab apple and hazelnut along with black berry bushes. I am still thinking on a couple of other additions. I hope you might have some suggestions.I live in Southeast PA 7b. No one is growing hazel around here so that’s an experiment .I have a micro flower farm which I started in 2019. http://www.flowerfollyfarm.com
    I’ve been following you since the beginning of your amazing journey and you are actually one of my favorite inspirations. Any advice on additional scrubs to add would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your inspiration.
    Janet Schuhl
    1647 W DoeRunRd
    Kennett Square, PA 19348
    Flower Folly Farm

    Reply
  33. Kathleen on

    This is so timely! I am halfway into planting a small scale hedgerow to enclose a shade garden that suffers from deer incursions. I’ve been choosing plants that are listed as deer resisters and that produce flowers and or foliage for bouquets. Your plans have given me lots of ideas – thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  34. Jen on

    While it’s not a proper hedgerow, our back border has fall-bearing raspberries, boysenberries, a couple of hazelnuts (filberts) that are like giant shrubs—they have multiple stems, a big viburnum (snowball), forsythia, lilac, and a rambler rose. It also has our big compost boxes that we built out of old pallets. The back border is where I put all of the things that are too rambly for the more tidy borders closer to the house. We’ve been here five years—all of the plants except the forsythia were here when we bought the property, and since then nigella, sunflower, and various poppies (Shirley, corn, and California) have self-seeded back there.

    Reply
  35. Nell Bednarz on

    In Texas, lots of homeowners and businesses use Texas Purple Sage (also called Cenizo or Silverleaf) as hedges. The silver green leaves are beautiful and mostly evergreen through the winters here, and this plant blooms whenever the humidity predicts rain. It is fairly hardy even with North Texas cold winters. I worked with Mr. Benny Simpson, specialist with Texas A&M Extension Research in Renner, Texas, where he brought this species from wild cuttings to develop Green Cloud, Purple Cloud, and Heavenly Cloud, among others, to develop landscaping plants for the trade. I plant Texas Purple Sage in his memory. Great for wildlife!

    Reply
  36. Carolyn on

    Love everything Floret! Hedgerows are so important for the reasons you’ve listed. Thanks for shining a light.

    Please take the bush honeysuckle off your list. I know you marked it as invasive but it is hard to describe how bad it is in the South. It is a thug of serious proportions!!

    Reply
  37. Debbie Winbun on

    A few years ago, I wanted to plant a shrub to allow for some privacy in our yard. I wanted something that would quickly grow to a high height and branch out. It was also important to me that it have a blooming flower. I chose an old fashioned viburnum. It is very fragrant and has beautiful pink blooms. The bees love it and so do I. I wish that I could add a picture here because it is so pretty when it first blooms. I love to cut them and take the blooms inside. The leaves make great fillers for arrangements.

    Reply
  38. Elizabeth on

    Thank you so much for sharing all your wonderful plans. I hope to incorporate hedgerows in our large backyard and elsewhere on our 4+ acres here in Delaware. Will have to determine what can thrive in partial shade as the property is heavily wooded.

    Reply
  39. Shannon on

    I have just adored the northern/ pacific ninebark “snow balls” and wild roses growing all around our Stanwood / Camano farmland areas! ⚪️🌸

    Reply
  40. Barb Ottolino on

    I am on a small suburban lot NW of Chicago, and the idea of close planting to form a hedgerow will allow me to create a previously unimaginable mixed border giving me privacy, flowers to cut, and additional forage and habitat for pollinators and birds, which is almost nonexistent in our area. I would never have the space to plant all the trees and shrubs I covet without designing a hedgerow/mixed border and am kicking myself for not thinking of this when we moved here from a farm, where we had so much cover for wildlife that they never bothered our vegetable or flower gardens. With a large wooded area, a small river, and ponds, there was plenty of habitat for deer and everyone else, so our un-fenced gardens were of no interest to rabbits or deer.

    Now I can simply “connect the dots”, or connect mature,established shrubs, that I have on my property perimeter, to add another layer of pollinator support. I will be growing Floret Original Celosia and Dahlia Shooting Stars and this year – exactly what I cannot find anywhere else. Thank you for making an open pollinated assortment available to those of us with very limited space.

    I took your course a few years ago and cannot recommend it enough to friends with land. Now, the information I am learning from your new ventures at the expanded farm are once again expanding my knowledge and leading to new unexpected designs on my property. So thank you once again for all you share. You model the best behavior I have ever witnessed – sharing, teaching, leading. Thank you for your hard work and generosity.

    Reply
  41. Mary on

    I planted a hedgerow around my three acres. Several varieties of ceanothus including ‘Ray Hartman’ and ‘Snow Flurry’, Purple elderberries, Italian bay, several climbing roses and Native prunus. I’m in California so my main criteria is drought tolerance. ;)

    Reply
  42. Marie-Soleil Roy on

    Hi! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! In my area, I was sad to see that the deers are eating ninebarks, just a reminder not to rely on the term “deer resistant” until you have actually tried it in your area… Thanks again! Canada

    Reply
  43. Marian on

    Hi there,
    I’m on South Whidbey. Did you add deer protection when you started the hedgerows?

    Reply
    • Erin on

      We didn’t protect them when we first planted since deer weren’t really an issue yet on the farm. They’ve since started to multiply and newer plantings might get some extra protection going forward

  44. Trisha on

    You mention annual maintenance in the article. What’s involved in maintaining your hedgerows. Also, do you have any recommendations on plants with a smaller spread (3′)?

    Reply
  45. Christine on

    I love the mixed hedge rows! I’m in Atlanta, GA and a small city yard but am working on planting planting hedges using native trees and shrubs. We have lots of trees, Oak, maple, pine, dogwood, magnolia, hornbeam, and lots of native shrubs. I love that you have a large mix of flowering and berry shrubs and this is my goal also. I am doing natives and researching the ones that are most needed and can provide the most needed resources for pollinators and wildlife. Then planting smaller plants in front of the shrubs and trees like wildflowers for pollinators. Don’t forget to put in multiple water sources for different needs, like bees, butterfly’s, frogs, firefly’s etc. These will draw lots of different species that will eat bugs and improve the amount of wildlife. Great job!

    Reply
  46. Tina on

    Have you come up with any solutions to the wild animals ruining things? Talk about good and bad! I live in the country and usually having a farm dog or two (who are well behaved) deter some of the overrun of creatures. I’m sure you have already gotten good advice, and as much as we all love the woodland creatures, they can’t ruin everything you’ve built. Just wondering, as I usually begin my day with some calm floret tv :)

    Reply
  47. Nancy H Lyons on

    Hi Erin, I’m so inspired by your hedges you are growing! Do you have a resource for your old and wild roses? I have a perfect spot for several. Just as a side note: my maiden name is Hedges!
    Thank you
    Naancy

    Reply
    • BriAnn, Team Floret on

      A couple rose sources we love and recommend are Menagerie Farm and Flowers and Rogue Valley Roses.

  48. Leslie on

    Oh Erin (& Becky) I am so grateful. I share your name often! We have been focused on the same for a long time but only recently been inspired (by you) to grow our gardens (inspired by Martha) into a small flower farm too. I wish I could share knowledge but I have so much to “grow.” We have been tackling invasive on our land for many years before we even thought about farming- it does help the native species the wildlife needs just by them migrating and dropping new seed. We mainly focus on food we can eat and picking out any extra natives beyond those. Mostly I transplant what I find right now. I focus on leaf shapes as well, so ginkgo is impressive? I am mostly amending all the spaces you are building from scratch (woodlands/meadows).. following along so intently now! Thank you so much!!! And if anyone has any invasives they are also taking out, berms of their dead shrubs work wonders for wildlife while we plant in front of them and behind them, one day creating a path through them on the old flattened sticks in between. We are also creating a border in front of rabbit/mole fencing that is a food forest walk. I am planning pairings of paw paw & nectarine leaf shapes with bold tropical looks for example and walking through to more guilds with other themes surrounding a small formal cutting garden. I just wish I could have been your student these past years at the new farm!

    Reply
  49. Tammy on

    I’ve started a hedgerow alongside the north side of my flower farm that is 160’ x 8’. I have started with multiple groupings of 5 red twig dogwood interspersed with Pacific Ninebark, three small existing Nordmann firs, and nine Floralberry hypericum. Next I plan to add some native roses, mock orange, and if space allows, additional shrubs that can be used in arrangements. My goal is to create some useable products, habitat and a windbreak.

    Reply
  50. Jean Lynch on

    If you put up 2 posts and a string for birds to perch on, they will rest there and plant a linear hedge for you by pooping! Or you can toe a string between 2 shrubs or trees.

    Reply
  51. Sonja on

    A great “Thank you” for sharing your work with us! We are located in Northern Germany and in our area it is very common to divide the fields with hedgerows; they are called “Knicks”. Parts are taken down every seven years to provide the farms with wood for heating, fencing….

    Reply
  52. Angela Daly on

    Hi from southern Australia. So much inspiration for us as we start our journey with a 2ha plot that was previously used for cows (barren of trees and shrubs, and very uneven!). Huge task ahead but we’ll be planting along the boundaries soon with a mix of indigenous and non-native species. Your website is fantastic! Thank you!

    Reply
  53. Ines on

    Hi! Ines from Argentina, first at all thank you for sharing your experience. Here we try to use mix hedge, but last years we had summers very hot with no rains.. so, we use olea texanum, a very resistant plant for hedge and we make mix border with many natives plants and some exotics, both for pollinators and birds

    Reply
  54. Catie Rowe on

    Hi from New Zealand we have planted huge amount of native trees to form hedge rows and we have also planted Portuguese Laurel near our house. The bird song is wonderful and visitors really notice when they visit
    Like you we are still a work in progress . Two ponds and always more planning and planting .
    Māori say we are Kaitiaki ( keepers of the land ) . It’s all about enjoying treasuring and looking out for the next generation . We adore following you over here you’re a Legend .

    Reply
  55. Jennifer Gray on

    Lilac trees are the best here in the Okanagan (BC) as the first pollinators and when trimmed make for beautiful hedges. Use them as a barometer for when to plant dahlia tubers in the ground. Thank you Erin for sharing all of your knowledge with those of us in Canada. Wish we could see the Growing Floret series. One day it will come to Canada.

    Reply
  56. Georgia Gibbs on

    Thank you so much for this information. I will be using it as starting place and looking for local Northern California Natives that share characteristics with your list to replace some of the selections. I have been wanting to do this on the bottom of my sloped lot as a habitat and also to help control erosion. I am a simple garndener. I guess I would not describe myself as a habitat gardener. I think both can co-exist beautifully. Also, so glad your new season is on! Warm regards.

    Reply
  57. Caroline Gerardo on

    Portuguese laurel is deer resistant, white flowers and pretty red structure stems. If you like I can send you some meadow rose and wood rose to try (no charge), thinking you can even sell the hips in the fall. Bridalwreath spirea Spiraea prunifolia also deer resistant is spectacular in the spring and hardy for your climate. Thank you for the magical sharing!

    Reply
  58. Liset on

    Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and love of plants

    Reply
  59. Jean Lynch on

    I work in plant and wildlife conservation on the East Coast. The loss of hedge rows from farms in the 20th century is widely acknowledged as a major loss in habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, so adding hedgerows can be a tremendous benefit. However, planting invasive species into your hedgerows will do more harm than good. Those abundant berries and seeds will be spread by wildlife into their native ecosystems and will outcompete the native plants in truly natural areas. invasive species are considered the second biggest threat to biodiversity, right behind habitat removal for development. Each non-native species is different in invasive potential, but information and guidance are abundant. Floret and like-minded spirits are so thoughtful about the work they are doing to beautify the world. Just a little more attention to the long-term impacts of plant choices will add a measure of safety that will be truly beneficial to nature and wildlife for the long term.

    Reply
  60. Karla Ramirez on

    Love this, very inspirational. Would be helpful if you could indicate which plants are deer resistant.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  61. Shay Edney on

    What a great resource ! So excited to see how the hedgerows and all associated with them progress on the farm. Hoping to recreate something similar in Georgia, and this was a great head start. Thank you!

    Reply
  62. Rachel H on

    Thank you for this post and list! What is your soil like at the new farm and for the hedgerow? Is it the sandy soil you write about in other posts? And, how much do you water now ?

    Reply
  63. Julianne on

    I love Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulartus) grown in Australia as a native where I live (SE Queensland) for its pretty frothy pink flowers and purple blueberries that the birds love. The rest of the year its bronze/pink leaves turn to green as they age.

    Reply
  64. naomi on

    One interesting thing about birds loving to perch and nest in the hedgerows is that they bring seeds in their poop and you get all kinds of other things growing up in there, which you can carefully select for and weed out or not. Yes, lots of invasives if they are growing nearby but also little trees from squirrels stashing acorns in the soft mulch and sunflowers from nearby bird feeders. It can be unexpectedly full of new life if you are careful and have good weed ID when going through and edging, etc. I have hawthorne trees and thimbleberries, dogwood shrubs and viburnum coming up where I didn’t plant them but love how I can let them remain or dig out the seedlings and move them to fill out a new hedge area.

    Reply

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