First session

The first session of the season was the Laughton & District ploughing match last Saturday. On a very hot day we laid 10 yards each with hand tools only in four hours. The hedge did not have a lot of height and was gappy in places and - whether it was the result of salt spray or the soil type - the stems were very brittle and the butts prone to splitting when taken off with an axe. I didn't get amongst the prizes but didn't disgrace myself either.

Regrowth

Whilst on a Breeding Bird Survey visit I checked out the hedge we did this winter for Greenwich University at Avery Hill. The layed hedge is coming into leaf nicely and the ground staff have planted up the whole hedge line, including the dead-hedged sections, with Hawthorn whips.

Last session

The last laying session of the season with the Surrey Hedgelaying Group was at Runfold where we finished off a section along a footpath next to the A31. A fine sunny day and a good turnout ensured the job was completed.

The hedge on the other side of the footpath had been laid some three years before and showed good regrowth.