Last updated
05 February 2012
Quest for the Good Life 
Trees in hedges
Planting trees in the hedge line allows you to extend the production of the garden.
Selecting native trees that bear fruit or other useful materials effectively allows
the maximum benefit from the space available. These are the trees we have used:-
- Rowan
- Hazel
- Willow
- Crab Apple
- Pear
Rowan
or Mountain Ash, has characteristic leaflets arranged along a stem that look similar to the Common Ash but in fact are not related. The Rowan belongs to the genus Sorbus (more related to apples, part of the Rose family) whereas the Common Ash belongs to the genus Fraxinus. We have the European Rowan, Sorbus aucuparia. There are many other types around the world, particularly China.
Clusters of white flowers form then, in autumn, groups of orange/red berries. These berries can be used to make Rowan jelly, a traditional accompaniment to game, so are useful in the kitchen.
There is al lot of folklore surrounding the Rowan. The wood is thought to protect from witches and bad luck. Rowan was used for dowsing rods and magic wands, carried on ships to protect from storms and placed over cow sheds to ensure protection.
Rowan is very tolerant of the cold and wind. It can grow in thin soils, in difficult places.
Hazel
Corylus avellana is a member of the birch family (Betulaceae). It produces catkins, wind pollinating flowers, and later on hazelnuts.
Hazelnuts are nutritious. Rich in protein and unsaturated fat, they also contain a lot of Thiamine and vitamin B6.
The branches have been used to make wattle and daub walls. There’s ancient Celtic folklore associated with the hazel.
We have added it to our hedgerows because it has always formed a traditional field boundary plant. We also expect to cut thin stems and use them in the garden.
Willow
Members of the Salix genus. These are well known for the properties of their bark. It contains Salicylic acid the original asprin! The bark also contains growth hormones which act as a rooting supplement for cuttings.
The wood can be used in basket making, also in paper production. The cricket bat is always made from willow.
Ecological uses of willows in waste water treatment, reinforcing river banks and as a bio fuel make it important in the modern age.
It has sacred associations with paganism. The willow is supposed to be a guide to the afterlife, being near water.
Pear
The Pear tree is seen as an orchard fruit. Indeed it is, but the Pear is also happy growing in a hedge line too. It means that if you a re short on space and cannot give as much room to a full sized orchard as you would like then you can pop your Pear trees in the hedges where they will thrive and still contribute to the fruit crop.