Hedgerow and Wildlife

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Hedgerows are one of the richest sources of wildlife in Britain. They have evolved over centuries (18th and 19th centuries predominantly but some date from pre-Roman times), and their importance is still vital today.

This book offers an insight into hedgerow wildlife: how they developed (and managed by man), how to identify different types, and what plants, birds, insects and small mammals can be found inside. A mixed hedge, for example containing species such as elder, blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel, wild cherry and field maple, is a refuge for wildlife: brimstone and peacock butterflies; long-tailed tits, wrens, hedge sparrows, blackbirds and chaffinches; bankvoles and wood mice; and of course the seven-spot ladybird. The plant life is equally as rich: the dog rose, the common violet, bluebell, garlic mustard and the hartstongue fern.

This quintessential part of the English landscape can be enjoyed all the more with this little guide to the wildlife wonders inside the hedgerows. This is a selection of the key wildlife inside the British hedgerow. It covers everything from butterflies to bank voles, and hedgehogs to hoverflies. It is a guide to the plants and trees of hedgerows. It includes the most common wild food to be foraged in hedgerows.