On the 9th December I joined fellow members of the South of England Hedge-laying Society in Findon for the third meet of the season. We were cutting in the shadow of Cissbury Ring and, as the weather was beautifully crisp and clear, had stupendous views of both the South Downs and the Weald. These meets are also used as training days for new members of the Society and on this occasion I willingly volunteered to supervise two trainees, Steve and Kevin.

The hedge to be laid was predominately blackthorn and hawthorn, but it had been planted in a single row immediately adjacent to a post and rail fence so access was a bit tight. We were also worried that the finished hedge might look a bit ‘gappy’.

However, as both Steve and Kevin were pretty competent with their technique, it wasn’t long before our section was down and the staking and binding could begin.

The guys worked really well as a team, taking it in turns to do the pleaching and then the staking and binding. My job was really just to oversee and then to give the odd tip here and there where needed.

In the end, they did a fabulous job and were justifiably proud of their efforts. It was especially rewarding for me too, knowing that I had helped in their training. I look forward to seeing how Kevin and Steve get on in the SOEHLS annual competition in February!