Lovely straight hazel and elm bank laid Devon style in a tucked away spot in Taunton, Somerset
Author Archives: Ben Maughan
Devon bank at Plowright Organic Farm on the top of the Quantock Hills
Just finished a long length of Devon Bank hedge at Plowright Organic Farm on the Quantocks. Enjoyed watching the stormy winter weather roll in over the hills even if I did get the odd soaking! There were some nice ash trees buried in amongst the hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel so I left a few which should become nice standard trees.
Hedge halfway through laying at Plowright Organic on the Quantocks
Finished hedge
Another Devon bank hedge
Roses hazel and hawthorn entwined.
Hedgelaying Devon bank Triscombe
A hawthorn and hazel hedge that was fairly overgrown running along the bottom of a small copse in Triscombe.
Triscombe Devon bank hedge
Hedgelaying – Devon bank by public footpath – Trull
First hedgelaying of the season. A hazel and elm hedge alongside a busy public footpath in Trull. The hedge was bulging into the footpath and really needed laying. Ones like this can be a little trickier from dodging pushchairs and dogwalkers as the footpath was so narrow but I am very pleased with the end result.
Gatchell Green – before
Gatchell Green – after
Hedgelaying – now booking for 2016/17 season in Somerset
Don’t wait until you’ve eaten the last turkey curry to start thinking about whether or not you would like any hedges booking in to be laid next season. Work gets booked up quickly and too many people get disappointed when ringing me in February or March to find I simply have no time left until the start of the next season! Contact me now to discuss any requirements, happy to visit and give advice free of charge as each hedge is different and needs treating appropriately to bring out the best in it. Happy to travel a 20 mile or so radius from Taunton.
I can understand the intent; man buys chainsaw and wants to clear overgrown hedge to open up a beautiful view across the Levels. Would have been a beautiful hedge to lay. I have their permission to show these pictures as a “What not to do”! As it is I did my best with it to make a decent hedge.
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This included root laying some fairly awkward hawthorns. This is where a tree does not have a healthy front face that can be laid. The answer is to dig down with a mattock and sever any roots on the unlaid side of the tree and choose a decent fat remaining root to bend the whole tree over on. Not the most fun job but where a tree absolutely has to fill a gap sometimes this is the only way!
The resulting hedge was a North Somerset/Devon hybrid but should fill up nicely even after the previous chainsaw massacre! Hedge looks better from below but will thicken up nicely and… what a view!
There’s the view
Blarney pilgrim, Bush on the Hill
Old tunes i seemed to used to play better than now. Spark’s gone a bit lately….
Dear departed Uncle Rich
My lament for the passing of my wonderful, one-in-a-million gem of an Uncle. A very special man to a lot of people…..
Daffodils in December
It’s true. The incredibly mild weather during December seems to have fooled a lot of nature. Great tits have been singing their spring “squeaky wheelbarrow” song for several weeks now here. This picture of daffodils was taken on December 27th At Knightshayes Court (a fabulous garden to visit at any time of year).