Dating age rule of thumb

A hedge may consist of a single species or several, typically mixed at random.In many newly planted British hedges, at least 60 per cent of the shrubs are hawthorn, blackthorn, and (in the southwest) hazel, alone or in combination.Increasingly, they are valued too for the major role they have to play in preventing soil loss and reducing pollution, and for their potential to regulate water supply and to reduce flooding.In addition to maintaining the health of the environment, hedgerows also play a huge role in providing shelter for smaller animals like birds and insects.

The first hedges enclosed land for cereal crops during the Neolithic Age (4000–6000 years ago).

Growing out of the wall is a hedge of hawthorn, brambles, vines, and trees, in thickness from one to three feet.

Originally property demarcations, hedgerows protect crops and cattle from the ocean winds that sweep across the land.

Often they serve as windbreaks to improve conditions for the adjacent crops.

When clipped and maintained, hedges are also a simple form of topiary.