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Wild hedge along pathway

billyp7WmtKKMbillyp7WmtKKM Posts: 34
in The potting shed
I have a public pathway next to my house and I am looking to plant a wild hedge just outside my garden perimeter.  

I am very rural and there is gorse and other types of hedging/bushes that looks wild right along the path apart from 30ft outside garden so people can see in.

I don't think the 2-3 neighbours I have would mind as its away from them.

What types of wild hedging or bushes would be good that would blend in along a pathway, I was thinking hawthorn or gorse.  Any other types of hedging or bushes that would be ideal for a natural path lining hedge? Thanks

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I often notice Field Maple in hedgerows around here as the leaves are unusual and very colourful in the autumn along with the hawthorn
    Masses of blackthorn and elder (sloe gin and elderflower wine :)) too around the fields plenty of brambles too (you could always add a thornless one)
    Good luck!

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited April 2022
    I would find out who the land belongs to. The council?

    I would personally go for it and take the planting lightly. Don't get attached. If anyone complains or is upset about an infringement on their land, just take it out and apologise.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Hawthorn would be a good choice, wildlife friendly and lowlife not so.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • billyp7WmtKKMbillyp7WmtKKM Posts: 34
    edited April 2022
    It's actually just off the back of my house, or I would have grown a hedge in my garden, I have done that where my property is, but just want to do a bit more at the back where people can see into my living space from the public path.   It's a farm and no houses or neighbours.  But its on public path, so no one owns it.  Only potential issue is a walker by or a neighbour saying something, but doubt they would say anything.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I'd go for it, as you've got nothing to lose except maybe the cost of the plants and your time if you are made eventually to take them out.

    I've planted four shrubs on the verge outside our house, really to brighten things up for the neighbours rather than us.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited April 2022
    Across the road from my house is a green about 30 ft wide and the length of the rd - lots of mature oaks and cherries but with some gaps. My lovely ex-neighbours planted 2 oak saplings and a rowan, and about 100 crocus across the rd from their house.
    The trees are about 8ft now and the council carefully mow around them.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    wonderful!
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Well, somebody owns it, so you are taking a risk, but that aside there are many such hedges where I live with hawthorn, blackthorn, field maple, dog rose, honeysuckle, elder and sometimes brambles. Oh, and hazel. The trouble with trees is that at some point someone will cut the hedge and if they just attack it with a flail, the trees will be ruined, so it's worth checking who will be doing the management first.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    It sounds as if the land it could be part of the farm. It's quite common for public footpaths to run along the edges of fields here.  Does anyone ever mow or trim the verges around the path or trim the shrubs/hedge in the areas either side of your gap? If not, then there's a reasonable chance that whoever owns it is happy leaving it wild and what you plant will be left alone, but best to check if you can. I think it would be best to stick with the same kind of plants that are already there along the other sections of the path so that it blends in.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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