Open Country Hedgerow havens
Mar 5, 2026
Rob Walton, ecologist and Devon farmer who surveyed a single hedge and catalogued its life. George Pidgeon, hedge-layer and trainer who teaches traditional Devon-style hedgelaying. Megan Gimber, hedge specialist on ecology, carbon and management. They discuss hands-on hedgelaying, staggering species richness found in one hedge, hedgerows as wildlife corridors and carbon stores, and traditional craft and techniques.
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Hedge Laying As A Family Craft
- George Pidgeon runs hedge-laying courses on his family farm and learned the craft informally while contracting with a friend.
- He teaches winter hedge management to keep hedges from becoming overgrown rows and to prevent blackthorn suckers spreading into fields.
How To Lay A Hedge Properly
- Lay hedges by cutting stems at a 45° angle and bending them horizontally uphill so new shoots regenerate from the base.
- Use a billhook and saw for smaller stems and chainsaws only for thick stems to speed work safely.
Competition Sparked A Lifelong Hedge Passion
- Stephen McCulloch discovered hedgelaying after doing it during school holidays while training to be a PE teacher and then entering a hedgelaying competition.
- Seeing an 'open hedge' at Skills of the Hills transformed his interest into a lifelong passion.