Can't read the article but really .... Hand axes? Rubberised boots? Burly men? Who writes this nonsense? Those are bill hooks, wellies and people (men and women). Hedge laying is an ancient and environmentally sound way of managing hedges which only needs doing every few years. There are regional styles as there are for bill hooks. Sadly, most of the hedges you see will have been done by a tractor and flail cutter.

To be fair, it was WaPo and they don't get out of their fancy restaurants very often.

There ARE, however, a number of excellent videos on youtube. Some on how to lay a hedge (with a billhook! Properly!). And a fair few of different hedgelaying competitions. Those are in my queue to watch, as I find the concept of a hedgelaying competition entertaining.

I do wish there was more interest in these techniques on this side of the pond. I'd like to try using hedges to encompass my 10 acre plot. I've got lots of rose and bramble, with a fair bit of ash and birch. But I should probably plant some hazels to make it easy on myself and get everything I want where I want it. Now if only there was a handy-dandy video or seminar on doing THAT. Without flying to Britain, and taking into account native species here.

I thought this was very interesting having no idea what it was ! And it was a delightful read . Thank you for sharing :)

floral, in the body of the article they use the correct terms. The introduction was just for us more ignorant folk over the pond. The article was fascinating. Some hedgerows a thousand years old? I hope the preservation of hedgerows grows. And here I was incorrectly thinking hedges were nothing more than overly pruned boxwood shrubs!