What to Plant?

Learn about the 28 native Irish tree species here. Irish provenance trees (grown from seed collected in Ireland) preserve genetic diversity and reduce the risk of diseases such as Fireblight. Native, Irish provenance trees are better adapted to our climate, and therefore, are more resilient to ecological shocks and stressors. They are also more suitable as food sources because their leafing and flowering times match the seasonal needs of Irish wildlife. Including pollinator-friendly trees also benefits bees, butterflies, moths, and hoverflies. Learn more at https://pollinators.ie/.

The retailers and nurseries listed below stock native trees of Irish provenance, but not all their stock falls under this category. Contact them to see what Irish provenance stock is available. We are not directly affiliated with any of the organisations below.

Native trees and shrubs that can be trimmed, laid or coppiced	Native trees and shrubs that should be left to grow as mature trees, (‘standards’) through the hedgerow
Whitethorn/Hawthorn: pollinator-friendly, blossoming May-June. Core species.	Crab apple: pollinator-friendly, blossoming April-May
Blackthorn: pollinator-friendly, blossoming March-April, tolerant of water-logging. Core species.	Alder buckthorn: tolerant of water-logging
Hazel. Core species.	Rowan: pollinator-friendly, blossoming April-May
Holly	Bird cherry: pollinator-friendly, blossoming April-May
Spindle: pollinator-friendly, blossoming May-June	Wild cherry: pollinator-friendly, blossoming April-May
Willow: pollinator-friendly, blossoming March-April, tolerant of water-logging	Downy birch
Guelder rose: pollinator-friendly, blossoming May-July, tolerant of water-logging	Pedunculate oak: tolerant of water-logging.
Gorse	Whitebeam: pollinator-friendly, blossoming May-June

Usually, hedgerows are planted with young bare-root trees called ‘whips’ or ‘quicks’. You don’t need to plant each of the species above. Rather, look at what is already growing in your area and pick a similar species mix. Hawthorn, blackthorn, and hazel will usually comprise roughly 60% of the species mix and are considered core species. The remaining plants should be intermixed randomly between these core plants. Trees that will be left as ‘standards’ should be spaced out 20-40m apart.

There are many more tips included in a Hedge Link guidance document, you can read it by clicking here.

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How to Plant?

Preparation

• Prepare the soil if necessary. Soft, grassy areas can often be planted directly with a spade without preparation.
• Plant bare-root stock (whips) from October-March. Planting early, before January, will allow the plant roots to develop before spring. However, in clay soils, it is best to avoid waterlogged periods (this causes root rot) and wait till after frost periods to avoid frost heave (this causes root exposure).
• Keep the roots of your bare-root trees damp to avoid drying out. If you need to store them for an extended period, dig a small trench and heel in your whips.

Planting

• Space out and plant the rarer trees first. i.e. first the standards at 20-40m spacing, then the non-core plants, and lastly fill the spaces with core plants (Hawthorn/Hazel/Blackthorn). 
• Plant in a double staggered row with 30-40cm between trees (it will look like a zig-zag), this provides a denser hedgerow than a single row and is better for wildlife. Watch video here.
• Mark out the trees to be left as standards and not trimmed.
• For the other trees, you can either leave them to grow tall and straight until the stems are thick enough (5-10cm diameter) for hedge laying or prune and incrementally increase the height. This involves pruning the whips to within 1 inch/30mm off the ground level after planting, the following year cut about 30mm above the first cut, and on the 3rd year, 30mm above the second cut. This maintains the growth at ground level to produce a denser base and allow the hedge to slowly grow up. Read more here. Incremental height increase is a key element of routine management for both young and mature hedgerows.

Aftercare

• In an area with no grazing problems (e.g. in a housing estate or private garden), fencing might not be necessary. For rabbits, fencing should go below the surface to prevent burrowing. For deer, taller metal wire fencing is needed to prevent them jumping over. For livestock, an electric fence may suffice and allow for more flexibility with subsequent management. Tree guards can be helpful too but must be removed as the trees mature. 
• In a community setting (e.g. housing estate or local park), it can help to temporary light fencing or signage to delineate the hedgerow and avoid your trees being accidentally strimmed when the grass is being mown.
• Trample down competing vegetation (e.g. grasses) in the first couple of growing seasons to allow maximum light to reach the young trees. You can also use a biodegradable plastic or mulch. After the hedgerow is mature enough, leave a grassy wildflower margin on each side of the hedgerow, ideally at least 2m wide.
• Do not use chemical sprays and slurry as these harm plant diversity and wildlife, counteracting the positive effect of less intensively managed hedgerows and wilder hedge margins.