Plant A Natural Hedge For Berries, Nuts, And Wildlife

A natural hedge is a great way to support wildlife in your garden.

It provides habitat and food for beneficial insects, birds, hedgehogs, lizards and more. All these creatures help to achieve a natural balance in the ecosystem.They only wait to help themselves to caterpillars, slugs, greenflies or mice.

As a result, you will encounter fewer problems with pests and diseases in your garden.

Apart from that, it can produce edible berries, nuts and other useful products like timber and fencing material.

Find A Suitable Spot For A Berry Hedge

A natural berry hedge is particularly suited for boundaries on larger gardens and properties. But even in smaller gardens they can be useful and replace a conventional one species trimmed hedge. You will have to just choose shrubs that will stay smaller and more manageable.

These hedges need less maintenance and care than a conventional hedge because they don't have to be trimmed regularly. The shrubs can be coppiced or thinned every 4-6 years if necessary.

A well-grown berry hedge will provide shelter from the wind and will help to create a microclimate. They can also function as a privacy hedge.

10 Shrubs For A Natural Hedge

Here are 10 shrubs that are suitable for a natural wildlife hedge:

Juneberry - Amelanchier lamarckii

multi-stemmed large shrub up to 12-15 ft height
deciduous
white flowers in spring
blue, edible berries during the summer
nice autumn color

Sea Buckthorn - Hippophae rhamnoides

deciduous shrub up to 20 ft high
silvery foliage
thorny
orange berries full of Vitamin C and antioxidants
nitrogen fixer
male and female plants, both are needed for berry production
choose named cultivars for best results

Wild Roses - Rosa rugosa

suckering, thorny bush up to 6 ft high
deciduous
pink or white scented flowers all summer
edible orange-red rose hips are also loved by birds
check out Rugosa Roses here

Black Chokeberry - Aronia melanocarpa

deciduous shrub up to 8 ft high
white flowers in May
black edible berries full of antioxidants
good autumn color
learn more about Aronia here

Hazelnut, Filberts - Corylus sp.

deciduous, bushy large shrubs
produces edible nuts
wood can be used for e.g. fences
offers pollen and habitat for wildlife

Gooseberries - Ribes uva-crispa

deciduous, thorny shrub 3-5 ft high
green or reddish, juicy berries (depending on the variety you choose)
suitable for smaller hedges
great fruit for jams, tarts, and eating fresh

Cornelian Cherry, Dogwood - Cornus mas

deciduous shrub up to 20 ft high
flowers are an early nectar source for bees
choose named cultivar if you are interested in the edible berries
good wood for tool handles

Elderberry - Sambucus nigra

large deciduous shrub up to 20 ft
edible flowers and fruit
great for wildlife, especially birds, and insects

Raspberries, Blackberries - Rubus

suckering, spreading shrubs up to 5 ft high
edible berries
choose good cultivars for berry production
here are some tips for growing raspberries

Blueberry - Vaccinium sp.

lots of varieties in all sizes
likes acidic soils
berries are full of vitamins and antioxidants
use compact varieties for small hedges
check out this page for tips on growing blueberries

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