The first thing to be planted in this garden were the hedges. I had to plant around the plot and within it to divide the garden into sections. Not all were successful and the purple beech (Fagus sylvatica) has struggled in the heavy soil and rather wet winter conditions. The hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) has fared better and in most areas is now a fairly thick hedge 2m or more high and has been trimmed at that height for a couple of years. Both retain their leaves in winter up to a height of about 2m but beech leaves are much more attractive, being a coppery brown while hornbeam is a rather grey, dull brown and by March on a wet, grim day I wish they would all drop off!

I have never had much more than a passing interest in topiary but I do admire it in other gardens. Perhaps it is something to do with age but the prospect of a privet peacock is evermore appealing. But not quite yet. 

However, it is time to be a bit more creative with the hedges in the garden and, since this week was hedge-trimming week, I tried to relieve the monotony with some chopping and changing. 

The longest internal hedge divides the ‘long borders’ from the row of fruit trees. A grass path runs down the length and makes a shady walk but is a bit plain. So I took my loppers in my hand and my heart in my chest and cut away to main stems, trying to keep the upper part intact, so create a window. It now gives a view through from a seat on the other side of the lawn and a tempting glimpse from the other side. A large kniphofia blocks the view but I intend to move this anyway to divide and replant it. 

In other areas, paths through the hedges were intended to have hedge ‘arches’ and I had to leave some plants unpruned to give them height. Some paths are a bit too wide to be able to create the arches yet but one was and I tied the stems together to create the shape. It is important, if not using a metal frame, for the stems to have similar heights and thicknesses or the arch will not be even. But this one worked out well so far. 

Of course, hedges take longer to have an effect than fences but the good thing is that they get better every year and are far less liable to get blown over in windy weather. If planted bare root they are a lot less hassle to get home than fence panels and they ‘capture’ carbon. The filter wind and trap pollutants and block noise too. They also create a place for nesting birds though, as we have a cat, I don’t want birds to nest in case the fledglings get picked off as they take to the wing. But even so the hedges are loved by the flocks of sparrows and robins and tits take their young there to carry them sunflower seeds and suet pellets from the feeders. 

Elsewhere in the garden there is a small triumph, another result of maturity (the garden and not mine) because the nandina is finally looking happy. It has struggled for years, in a rather exposed site and winter rips most of the leaves off, leaving it looking awful in spring. Flowers have been too much to hope for.

But the Heptacodon to the south, planted to provide some shade, has finally matured enough to shelter the nandina. Now two of my favourite shrubs are finally looking content. And the nandina actually has several clusters of flowers. Now, will I get those red berries? 

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