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.
Jane Eastoe has been a journalist and author for 25 years and a garden designer and horticulturalist for 15 years. Her interest in organic living developed as a practical response to the diverse demands of family life. She is a keen (though time-short) gardener. She is the author of the two previous small-holding books in the series: 'Home-Grown Fruit' and 'Chickens'. Jane lives in Whitstable, Kent.
Here the information feels fresh and, most importantly, relevant. BBC Wildlife magazine