Things were exceptional in my garden last year , thankyou for asking .
Whether or not to classify them as legacy hedges I don't really know , but my two 200' long hedges bordering the garden were fulfilling their usual role as windbreak/wildlife refuge.
They consist mainly of a wide range of native shrubs/trees , plus an assortment of exotics all of which appear to co-exist happily .
I believe that (thirty years ago since planted approximately) that they now incorporate a good amount of insect and bird life , after all , where you've insects you also get birds .
Four mature birch trees stand over the lot for good measure . I feel that we can all play a role in attempting to preserve what we have left , albeit however small .
Yes indeed , nature has had to adapt dramatically ; the ruination of vast areas of the world is extremely disheartening . One of the saddest aspects is the seemingly endless demand for palm-oil ; tropical rainforest destroyed and replaced with monotonous rows of oil-palms .
Your views on exotic/native fruits in out hedgerows are interesting ; maybe centuries from now global warming will have accelerated the natural distribution and diversity of plants globally . I doubt if our hedgerows will bear any resemblance to what we have left at present .
The other worry is going to be the inevitable catastophic loss of many species from colder climates ; there is no way these genera can adapt in the time available .
Apologies for the doom and gloom scenario , but quite honestly there's not a lot left to positive about !
Paul, your hedges sound perfect as legacy hedges, long may they florish and you along with them. It is really good to hear that people are keeping, planting and maintaining them, including the ones that serve as the all important wind-breaks, and barriers against soil errosion. Such a lot of places are being stripped clear of hedges, either to put fences in that won't last, or to claim extra ground for big scale agriculture, golf courses, lawns, flower beds and worst of all - paving and car parking! I could pull my hair out thinking about the stupidity of it all, and nobody seems to be taking any notice of what is happening because so many branches of the media seem to be telling them to go to sleep instead.
You said "I feel that we can all play a role in attempting to preserve what we have left , albeit however small." this is so, so important, because it is too easy to give up on it all. I'd rather be on the side of trying to do something about it too, because it is our existential duty to ourselves, to others and to our world, and if it doesn't work out in the end, at least we tried!
But I am, like you, not all negative about what we can achieve. As gardeners, our heads are part in the human world, part in the environment, and this collision can be so upseting in practice. But I think that what we do is the most important thing, and we are up to our elbows in understanding and joining in with the better business of the world, from making mud pies, tempting seeds to sprout, or making woodlands and hedges to preserve little playgrounds, both for nature and our own better natures. And we are just at the small end, where the biological sciences meet mundain practice - all those students, scientists and researchers who are working for our benifit and for the benifit of nature. All the political campaigners and organisations who are still trying to get the message across, the compilers and distributers of all our best knowledge, and those who use this knowledge to manage some of the bigger practical projects for nature. There is still a chance that some of this stuff will stick in the big wheels of destruction, and if it doesn't happen, those who tried will have tried as best they could, a journey which, at the very least, is something to have lived for...
I'd better shut up before I burst into philosophy while burning up the presiouse midnight oil...
Another positive value regarding mixed hedges ; I think they maintain a natural balance in the garden .
I never get pest infestations of any sort ; maybe a few greenfly on the roses , easily controlled with dilute soap solutions . I am against inorganic chemicals wholeheartedly !
To summarise , my garden appears to be (after 30+ years) , a balanced and pleasant self-contained eco-system .
I remember a few years ago when both the hedges were teeming with literally thousands of ladybird larvae . At various times , new plants have introduced themselves .
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