It has been fantastic to see the increase in the number of people who are now planting native hedging rather than the likes of leylandii or griselinia. And from this picture of Blackthorn can you blame them.
With choices of blackthorn, hawthorn, sessile oak, mountain ash, goat willow,viburnun opulus, fuschia, alder, birch, elder, holly, wild cherry, Irish yew, buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and hazel you can’t go wrong. Whats more the wildlife will love you for it.
You will attract the following butterflies by planting the following types of hedge trees which act as food plants.
Silver-washed Fritillary – Any deciduous hedges, Bramble flowers Brown
Speckled Wood – Native hedgesWhite Brimstone – Buckthorn, Green Hairstreak – Gorse (Ulex europaeus) , Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Brown Hairstreak – Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Brown Gatekeeper – Native hedges Brown Ringlet – Native hedges
Purple Hairstreak (rare) – Oak (Quercus)
and AshHolly Blue – Holly (Ilex aquifolium) and Ivy (Hedera helix)