At the end of January 2024 I was invited to lay a short stretch of hedge bordering the client’s front garden. It was an interesting hedge with a variety of species including hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, and a large section of holly.

There was a deep, water filled ditch on the off-side of the hedge, so I resolved myself not to fall in whilst working on the hedge!

Very quickly the hedge started to take shape, and looked pretty good despite there being one or two gaps between the stems.

Before long I had arrived at the holly. This took a bit of working out in order to get the best of the stems laid into the hedge.

Then, disaster almost struck in the form of a foreign object in the hedge. Luckily I discovered it with my eyes rather than my chainsaw!

A piece of angle-iron which had been used as a tree stake many years ago. One of the holly stems was still tied to it and it would have been very easy to miss it in the gloom of the hedge. Catching that with the saw would have probably meant a new chain.

Once the holly was dealt with it didn’t take too long to get to the end. There was also a short stretch the other side of the driveway to lay, which essentially just involved one big holly.

There was then just the last of the staking and binding to do before applying the finishing touches to another job well done.

The client was delighted with the finished hedge and I am pleased to report that the regrowth this last summer has been superb, and he has had many compliments on the work. So much so, that I am looking forward to doing some more hedgelaying for him in the future.