John Wright traces the rise and fall of the most distinctive element in the British landscape. He starts with its origins 5,000 years ago, used by early farmers to separate animals and crops when the most popular grain was barley, for ale: “Beer may be the very basis of civilisation.” We have Saxon migrants to thank for the word hedge, from their “hege”, meaning “living boundary” rather than a mere fence. In more recent years, hedges were grubbed out in the name of agricultural productivity. But thanks to legislation in the 1990s, the situation is improving. There are 700,000km of hedgerows in Britain – the distance to the moon and back. A 90-metre stretch can provide a home for more than 3,000 species of plants, animals, lichens and fungi. Wright is a wonderfully enthusiastic guide to this unique habitat, revealing within it a whole world of life: “There’s so much more to a hedge than meets the eye.” This illustrated survey is historically detailed, enriched by the author’s deep knowledge of British landscapes and natural history.
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