Messy mixed hedgerow

Hello,

Just trying to figure out what is in this mixed hedgerow. It has been a bit neglected and needs a good thinning out and shaping. I know that on the far left is Euonymus Japonicus, then a mystery hedge, a bit of privet then some Mexican sundance (green leaves with a yellow splatter look).

So the mystery hedge is the bare (deciduous) hedging shrub in the middle. Could it be more privet but in poor health.

 

Dont know where you are, but privet has always been evergreen with me.

 

Mixed hedges are really good for wildlife. I think your hedge only needs a trim and not thinning out. It's nice to have a dense hedge. With spring here it will look green soon. If you want to trim it now, do it very soon before the birds begin nesting. Otherwise wait until the autumn. I like mixed hedges for several reasons but top reason is that the wildlife benefits so much. Each plant provides food and shelter for something. Obviously with different species you will get different rates of growth but there is always something of interest. As to what the middle pic is...you will just have to wait and see when the leaves reappear.

 

Yes I know pete but I am aware that if in really bad condition sometimes they loose their leaves and look bare. I don't think it is privet, but it is so messy it is hard to tell how much they are mixed together.

Redwing - I too like the fact that it is mixed and intend to keep it that way, but there is lots of dead hedge inside. I removed loads of dead elderberry (my least favourite tree). I am just going to give it a good trim as you say whilst removing any dead wood. There is even some ivy in there in a clear spot which I hope to encourage to grow and fill out.

 

Elder is a very good plant for wildlife. The birds, Blackcaps especially love the berries. Ivy is also really good if allowed to flower and fruit.

 

They already are around here.

 

Its not really a traditional hedge, as in "hedgerow", is it?
I'm guessing that is why you consider the Elder to be a weed, or at least, disliked.

 

I do not dislike elder or consider it a weed. It does propagate very easily though. I actually have quite a few in the garden. I have often collected the flower and berries to make wine. It is just my one least favourite trees, especially in terms of aesthetics and is not particularly suited to being in a hedgerow. All the ones I removed were dead anyway. The hedge has just not been maintained or pruned properly for many years. Hence an an attempt to work out what it is actually made up of and tidy it up a bit and encourage new and denser growth. Like I said, there is a lot of dead wood in there.

 

Weedling if you add very clear pics of the leaves ..(when they leaf up) then you are far more likely to get accurate answers of what your boundary area contains.

 

I would cut out the dead wood and give it a good cut back and feed and water " IF " we get a warm summer.

Only after the birds are finished nesting.

 

Well it has been a year since I cut out all the dead wood. I decided cut it back. There is/was a lot of dead branches and shoots. Most of it had snapped and dropped to the bottom over the years and although this may have slowly been acting as a natural compost, it was not really rotting down like leaves.

I have been removing it all in an attempt to let more lighit in and improve air circulation.

I plan to put a manure/soil mix down along with some blood,fish and bone.

I will add a picture of it's state today.

It total I removed about 5/6 wheelie bins of cut back branches and deadness.

 

Update...here is a picture as of today

And Before
View attachment 61936

I have also worked out the hedge contents, from left to right it is.

Laurel, Forsycia (pretty sure), a bit of yellow privet, then spotted laurel, a bit of holly and then some laylandii.

I removed most of the Elder as it was sticking out and not particularly attractive. However I did not remove the stump so, knowing elder, it will shoot and try to comeback. Those things are thirsty though.

 

The hedge is looking much healthier now - nice work!!

Did you manage to ID all the hedge's component trees/shrubs?

It's hard to get a detailed zoom in but looks like privet on left half and far right could be an Aucuba Japonica with something in between the two.

 

I edited the post...see above - the privet is mixed in with the Forsycia. It has not flowered yellow because I had to cut it back.

The forcycia is the bare one on the old picture. I took that earlier in the year so it is a bit deceptive and makes the hedge look dead. The privet is that patch in the middle.

The forcycia is not that pretty when bare.

 

It's certainly a unique hedge and will make an interesting display at different times of the year.

Forsythias are rather hardy and it may take a while to fully bounce back but they regenerate new growth eventually.

Good idea on chopping the Elder down as they grow far quicker than hedges and punch insightly holes through them as well as guzzling the moisture (like you mentioned). As it's likely impossible to remove it without destroying the neighbouring hedges, it may be worth cutting down very low and brushing on some stump killer to see it off for good.

Glad I got one of the ID's right (the Aucuba)