News

A hand holding a bare root hawthorn whip in front of a seed bed of hawthorn growing at our farm in Herefordshire.
A guide to bare root whip plants
The old fashioned word for bare root tree saplings and hedgerow plants is "whips" and this blog explains the origin of the name, plant species that are sold as whips,... Read more...
The low sun is shining through a stand of trees with tall trunks and only the trunks are visible in the image along with some ferns on the ground. No sky is visible - the image is just green and gold colours.
UK tree planting targets - fascinating facts and figures
Historical and up to date data on how much tree planting has taken place in each region of the UK and the volume of additional British grown trees that will... Read more...
A close up of a blue tit sitting on a branch of a blackthorn plant with leaves just emerging and flowers just finishing.
How to maximise wildlife friendliness in a hedge
Six important tips to improve the wildlife friendliness in a hedge whether you are planting a new hedge or maintaining an existing one. Read more...
A close up of an apple tree with very red apples in a commercial orchard setting - you can see two rows of trees but only the first tree is in focus. A bright blue sky.
Windbreak and shelterbelt benefits and the best tree species to use
The benefits of windbreaks or shelterbelts, factors to consider when planning a windbreak, the best plant species and more detail on the top recommended species which is Alder. Read more...
A copse of silver birch trees showing only the white trunks and a few lower branches without leaves. Ont he ground there's some brown grassy material. The sky is just visible through some of the trees.
The characteristics and importance of pioneer tree species
A useful guide to pioneer tree species covering their common characteristics, a list of species normally considered to be pioneers, and their use and purpose in woodland creation. Read more...
An image of two handfuls of autumn leaves, on the left is hornbeam and on the right is beech
How to spot the differences between Beech and Hornbeam hedging
How to identify the subtle differences between Beech and Hornbeam hedging or woodland trees. Read more...
A branch of Rhamnus (alder buckthorn) showing the leaves and red berries. The background is out of focus.
How to spot the differences between Rhamus cathartica and Rhamnus frangula
Rhamnus cathartica (Purging buckthorn) and Rhamnus frangula (Alder buckthorn) - the differences are actually easy to spot and this blog will help you work out which is best for your... Read more...
A close up of the bare stems of an orange/red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) - the sun must be shining because the stems look very bright. There's no other colour on this image - the stems entirely fill it.
How to differentiate between the most common dogwood hedging varieties
Differences between the various Dogwood (Cornus) hedging varieties. Read more...
An aerial photograph of six pasture fields, each surrounded by mature farm hedgerows and there's a village in the background.
Facts you might not know about farm hedging
A collection of weird and wonderful facts about farm hedgerows including Hooper's Rule which guides you to estimate the age of a hedgerow. Read more...
A black and white illustration of an individual leaf of Silver birch (on the left) and Downy birch (on the right) showing the differences in size and shape.
The Differences between Silver birch and Downy birch
A blog covering the significant differences between Silver birch (Betula pendula) and Downy birch (Betula pubescens). Read more...
A woodland scheme showing lots of tree trunks of slim trees just coming into leaf in Spring and the ground is carpeted in bluebells.
Native trees versus non-native or naturalised trees
The differences between native, non-native and naturalised tree species with a full list of native species listed by common and Latin names. Read more...