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