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
• learn more about hazelnut trees here

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
• learn more about dogwood shrubs here

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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