What is fedging?
I had to ask too!! It's a cross between a hedge and a fence and it's created by using living willow. Nature's pretty clever eh! Ever since we got the go ahead about the new garden site, Libby has been so excited about using Willow. She loves the stuff and was keen to use it as a feature, so this weekend, along with help from some equally enthusiastic people, one of Libby's visions came to life! LIBBY 12/13th February 2016 – FEDGE & SHED What is a Fedge. A Fedge is a cross between a fence and a hedge! Willow rods are cut in February when the willow is dormant and pliable and these are then put in the ground at intervals and woven in to make a fence. The willow sets roots, gets leaves and grows so it is a bit like a hedge! Willow grows very quickly at least 1m per year and so this time next year we can weave in or cut more rods to plant. Friday 12th – Laura May and I met Fred Conacher from Angus Council to cut willow rods to make a fedge. Angus Council sells willow rods to make fedges or hurdles and also Hazel for pea sticks. We cut 160 rods which is what we needed to make a 32m fedge. Fred can be contacted on [email protected] I took the willow to the site and happed it up for the night. If we weren’t planting it the next day then I would have stood it in buckets of water. Saturday 13th February 2016 Got down to the garden at Panda Lane and sorted the rods into 2 bundles of thicker and thinner rods. Brian and Ethan measured out thicker rods at 2m intervals to use as fedge posts. We were lucky with the weather again. Colder than last week but very dry. Volunteers (20 – 30) started to arrive and I explained to them what a fedge was and what the plan was. Before we even started any work the photography from The Courier took lots of photos of the group! Modelling over we started working in twos, people took 2 m spaces and start cutting, dibbing and putting the willow in the ground and then weaving or tying it where necessary. We left the totty wee bits till last and stuck them in randomly where there was gaps and then laid down a mulch to suppress weeds. It was great getting to know all the different people that were there and lot’s of folk were doing this for the first time. So we now have a beautiful fedge going along the side wall. It will be brilliant to see the catkins come out and the leaves start to appear and see how it grows. At the same time Dan delivered the shed in a oner in the trailer and the muscles lifted it off the trailer and then proceeded to plane it, screw decorations onto it etc.! The bit of ground that it will eventually sit on was cleared and levelled and we will soon be able to get the shed moved. And then Dan and Alec and John went back and filled the trailer with manure and brought it back and put it in the compost bay to rot down and give us lovely soil. Jean and Pauline were on hand to supply everyone with hot drinks and biscuits! We had a BIG DIG on the 6th of February and what a BIG TURN OUT!! Over 40 people turned up for our Big Dig including lots of kids aging from 3 to 18. As we were lucky enough to have had the really big job of clearing the top surface , of what has essentially been a dog walking ground for years, cleared by DJ Laings digger, we were able to get on with other pressing jobs. It was all hands on deck to dig out and clear the overgrown edges. There were compost boxes to be made and dung to be collected. We dug ditches and prepared ground for a living willow fedge. Thankfully we had help from Jean Brown for manning the cuppies and biscuits!! It was a great day in terms of weather, the turnout and the camaraderie and enthusiasm from those came to join in. Thank you’s
DJ Laing for clearing the land with digger Jean Brown for manning the cuppies and biscuits Rosemary and Dan Champion for manure and helping with the shed Sally Welham for the Tunnocks treats Colourful Carnoustie members for coming along with help and support Panmure Centre for letting us use the loos Fred Conacher at Angus Council for helping coppice the willow Brian Ness Factotum for helping with van and chapping and EVERYONE who turned up. |
|