Dead hedges

Another day at Stowe Landscape Garden.

The blip is a shot of one of the dead hedges we have made over the winter. We make the hedge by driving in a double row of hazel stakes, about 3 feet apart. We then place pruned material from the surrounding mature shrubs and trees. These are placed horizontally between the stakes to build a barrier or a dead hedge.

The purpose is to create barriers to encourage visitors to walk around the gardens following paths and tracks and not walk on beds and planted areas . There are a number of benefits, saving time and money, reducing transport as the material is used close to its source, providing a place for wildlife such as nesting birds, insects, toads, hedgehogs and mice.

This is not a flower blip but is all part of the managed garden in winter.