87. Plans for 2013...(1) foraging hedge...

Now that we have not all fallen off the fiscal cliff, we can all start concentrating on 2013. New Year's Resolutions are one approach but seem to have an inbuilt expectation of failure, the only unknown being a question of when.

I prefer plans, or alternatively, dreams with a timescale.

I have 3 mapped out for 2013.

The first is a foraging hedge. The idea is for a mixed hedge made up largely of trees that are a source of edible nuts, fruits, berries and flowers. Either for human consumption or for use by our bees.

The hedge will be 50m long and run along the river side of the lawn (and connect with the hazel hedge, some of which some of you will remember was subjected to a grafting experiment).

I am about to order 100 trees to be planted in a double row - hazel and blackthorn (for sloes, and an early source of nectar) at the back, and crab apple, wild pear, elder (for berries and flowers), willow (an early source of pollen), sea buckthorn, and dogrose (for some Summer colour).

Preparations are underway, but as with anything it is not simple. I am first having to fix large logs at the top of the bank which slopes away; this is so that the double-digging and manuring that I will then carry out is not wasted by simply rolling down the hill.

Sorry the photos are so murky - that's what it's like here at the moment!


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